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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of
4Frederick J. "Fred" Steffen of Elgin, who passed away on
5December 25, 2021; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Fred Steffen was born to Rose and Ezra Steffen in
7Elgin on August 18, 1934; he graduated from Elgin High School
8in 1952, where he was a state championship wrestler and
9homecoming king; he graduated from the University of Illinois
10at Urbana-Champaign and John Marshall Law School; he served in
11the U.S. Army Infantry in South Korea for two years; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Fred Steffen served as an appointed attorney for
13the Elgin Housing Authority after being sworn in before the
14U.S. Supreme Court; he provided pro bono services for local
15churches and social service organizations; with his wife,
16Judy, he opened and managed the Italian restaurant Cafe
17Magdalena on Douglas Avenue from 1999 to 2007; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Fred Steffen touched the lives of many people
19with his legal work and involvement in the Elgin community;
20his steadfast commitment to public service showed in his early
21advocacy for racial integration, his organization of the
22area's first Hike for Hunger, and his successful efforts to

 

 

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1arrange for the First Congregational Church of Elgin to
2celebrate their 150th anniversary by investing in the
3expansion of the Elgin Community Crisis Center; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Fred Steffen served as a delegate to the 1970
5Illinois Constitution Convention and a Carter delegate at the
61976 Democratic National Convention; he campaigned for U.S.
7Congress in 1978; he was elected to the Elgin Community
8College Board of Trustees for a six-year term and served as
9Kane County Democratic Chairman for 18 years; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Fred Steffen sang as a tenor in both the First
11Congregational Church Choir and the Elgin Choral Union; he
12loved traveling, visiting every continent except for Africa
13and Antarctica; he was an avid nature lover who always took the
14time to learn the names of all the birds and plants around him;
15and
 
16    WHEREAS, Fred Steffen was a beloved mentor to many; he
17will be remembered for being perpetually enthusiastic and
18upbeat; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Fred Steffen was preceded in death by his wife,
20Judy Steffen, and his siblings, Anne Carroll, Barbara Phelps,
21and Garth Steffen; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Frederick Steffen is survived by his children,
2Julie (Detlev Pansch), John (Kerry Kelly), and Bob (Ketki
3Shroff); his grandchildren, Joan, Chloe, Lili, Abby, Nika,
4Alyssa, Liam, and Tristan; his siblings, Nate Steffen, Grant
5Steffen, Lorna Schrock, and Ellie Hanchett; and his beloved
6dog, Willow; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
8HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
9we mourn the passing of Frederick J. "Fred" Steffen and extend
10our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who
11knew and loved him; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to the family of Fred Steffen as an expression of our
14deepest sympathy.