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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Richard L. "Dick" Thies of Urbana, who
4passed away on April 10, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dick Thies was born in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska to
6Arnold C. and Wilma P. Thies on November 7, 1931; during his
7upbringing, he lived in a number of locations, including
8Kimbell and Gering, both in Nebraska, and Riverside,
9California, where he performed as a boy soprano at the famous
10Mission Inn; he graduated from Drummer Township High School in
11Gibson City in 1949; he received a Bachelor of Arts in History
12from the University of Illinois in 1953, where he served as the
13student president of the UI YMCA and a student chair of
14then-Governor Adlai E. Stevenson II's campaign for U.S.
15president; he married Marilyn Webber in 1954; he earned his
16LL.B., later converted to a Juris Doctor, from the University
17of Illinois College of Law in 1955; he served in the Judge
18Advocate General's Department of the U.S. Air Force from 1956
19to 1958; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Dick Thies practiced law at the firm Webber &
21Thies, P.C. in Urbana with his father-in-law and founder,
22Judge Charles M. Webber, and his brothers-in-law, Craig R.
23Webber and Carl M. Webber; his law practice covered a wide

 

 

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1range of areas for a diverse client mix; he was particularly
2fond of the work he did negotiating on behalf of U.S. clients
3in the People's Republic of China and in helping with the
4development of Frasca Field in Urbana, the home of his private
5airplane he flew for 30 years; he was especially proud when he
6was joined at the firm by his sons, David and John, and later
7his grandson, Daniel; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Dick Thies was a leader in the legal profession
9and was noted by peers for serving the interests of his clients
10with skill and integrity; he served as president of the
11Illinois State Bar Association from 1986 to 1987, and he
12served in many capacities and held every high office in that
13organization; he belonged to the American Bar Association
14(ABA), where he was elected to ABA's Board of Governors in 1988
15and was a member of the ABA House of Delegates for 27 years; he
16also held offices in a number of ABA-related organizations;
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, Dick Thies received many awards during his
19lifetime, including the Illinois State Bar Association's Award
20of Merit, the Illinois News Broadcasters' Distinguished
21Service Award, and the Abraham Lincoln Association's Lincoln
22the Lawyer Award; he was included in the inaugural class of the
23Champaign County Bar Association's Pillars of the Bar; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Dick Thies was involved in many organizations and
2institutions in the Champaign-Urbana community; he served as
3president of the Champaign-Urbana Kiwanis Club and the Urbana
4Association of Commerce; he was chairman of the Citizens
5Advisory Board of the Urbana School Board; he was a member the
6Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Urbana Park Board, the
7Champaign-Urbana Symphony Board, and the boards of the
8National Academy of Arts and the Champaign-Urbana Urban
9League; he was a member and an elder of First Presbyterian
10Church of Urbana; he belonged to the President's Council of
11the University of Illinois Foundation and the Dean's Club of
12the University of Illinois College of Law; he was a life member
13of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, where he
14served on the Alumni Association's Trustee Selection Committee
15on four occasions; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Dick Thies loved and participated in many sports,
17including the freshman basketball and baseball teams at the
18University of Illinois; he taught his children a love of
19sports and a desire for competition at the highest levels; he
20enjoyed watching his children participate in their respective
21sports; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Dick Thies will be remembered for his life of
23commitment to his family, to his profession, to his church,
24and to his community; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Dick Thies was preceded in death by his parents;
2his stepfather, David C. Player; his brother-in-law, Craig R.
3Webber; his sister-in-law, Alice J. Webber; and his
4brother-in-law, James L. Zaccagni; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dick Thies is survived by his wife of 66 years,
6Marilyn Webber Thies; his brother, Dr. David M. Player (Beth);
7his sister, Jennifer G. Zaccagni; his brother-in-law, Carl M.
8Webber (Betty); his children, David C. Thies (Johanna), Nancy
9Thies Marshall (Charlie), Susan Thies Harrison (Mike), John E.
10Thies (Terry), and Anne Thies Peters (Jeff); his 16
11grandchildren, Stephanie Thies Geier (husband, Brian;
12children, Ben and Willa), Daniel Thies (wife, Page; children,
13Edward, Peter, Samuel, and Mary), Michael Thies (wife,
14Kristin), Adam Thies (wife, Bethany; son, Clive), Ryan
15Marshall (wife, Ali Marshall; children, Lucille and Ruth),
16Caitlin St. Peter (husband, Beau; daughter, Charlotte), John
17Marshall, Isaac Harrison (wife, Abigail), Marie Collins
18(husband, Jacob), Elizabeth Harrison, William Harrison,
19Kathryn Thies, Caroline Thies, Andrew Peters (wife, Ashlee),
20Luke Peters, and Bailey Peters; his 10 great-grandchildren
21(with one on the way); and his many cousins, nieces, nephews,
22and friends; therefore, be it
 
23    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL

 

 

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1ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
2Richard L. "Dick" Thies and extend our sincere condolences to
3his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
4further
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6presented to the family of Dick Thies as an expression of our
7deepest sympathy.