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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of George Finley Veenstra of
4Springfield, who passed away on November 11, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, George Veenstra was born in Chicago to William
6and Ruth (McNaughton) Veenstra on January 13, 1944; he
7contracted polio at age 5 and relied on leg braces to walk for
8the rest of his life; he graduated from Morgan Park High School
9in 1961 and earned a teaching degree from the University of
10Illinois in 1966; and
 
11    WHEREAS, George Veenstra worked in the Springfield School
12District for more than 30 years, teaching mathematics and
13later computer classes, mostly at Washington Middle School,
14before retiring in 2000; he was an enthusiastic teacher who
15drew parents' praise for helping students who usually
16struggled with math; and
 
17    WHEREAS, George Veenstra became an ardent fan of the
18Fighting Illini and discovered his own athletic abilities
19while in college; from 1962 to 1971, he played intramural
20wheelchair football at Illinois and was quarterback for the
21Gold Team, leading the team to five championships; in 1964, he
22was a member of the United States Paralympic team in archery

 

 

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1and table tennis at Tokyo; during this same time, he
2participated in swimming, archery (Silver Medal) and table
3tennis (Bronze Medal) at the National Wheelchair Games; in
41980, he won Gold Medals in the 50-meter butterfly and 400
5freestyle swimming events and Silver Medals in the 100 free
6and 200 individual medleys at the National Wheelchair games;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, George Veenstra played point guard for the
9Champaign Urbana Black Knights wheelchair basketball team from
101967 to 1971; he was named the National Tournament Most
11Valuable Player in 1970; he helped form the Springfield Spoke
12Jockeys, coaching and playing for that team until 1989; he was
13a member of eight All-Midwest Conference teams, four
14all-sectional teams, and two all-national tournament teams; he
15was an assistant coach for three USA international wheelchair
16basketball teams that won Gold Medals at international
17competitions; he was inducted into the Wheelchair Hall of Fame
18in 1988 and the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame in 2003; and
 
19    WHEREAS, George Veenstra threw his competitive spirit into
20playing with the Bridge Club of Springfield after retirement;
21he achieved the status of Silver Life Master; he also happily
22helped at Harvest & Blooms, the Rochester farm owned by his
23son, Garrick, and daughter-in-law, Violeta; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, George Veenstra is survived by his wife of over
250 years, Jeanne Titone Veenstra; his sons, Garrick, Matt, and
3Phil; his brothers, Bob and Ron; and his grandchildren, Sol,
4Sebi, Liam, Riley, Maddie, Ella, Finley, and Cecilia;
5therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
7ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
8George Finley Veenstra and extend our sincere condolences to
9his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
10further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the family of George Veenstra as an expression of
13our deepest sympathy.