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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Ruth Josephine Youngerman of
4Champaign, who passed away on December 28, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ruth Youngerman was born to Isaac Kuhn and Rose
6Adler in Champaign on July 17, 1914; she graduated from the
7University School for Girls in Chicago; she then returned to
8Champaign and attended the University of Illinois, where she
9graduated from the College of Liberal Arts with a degree in
10Economics in 1935; she earned a degree in Business from the
11Simmons School for Women in Boston in 1936; she married Dr.
12William M. Youngerman in March 1938, and he preceded her in
13death in 1975; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Ruth Youngerman wrote advertising copy for her
15family's store, Joseph Kuhn & Co., until she was married with
16children; and
 
17    WHEREAS, In her younger adult years, Ruth Youngerman and
18her friends borrowed their parents' cars to ferry mothers and
19children to food banks and to Burnham and Mercy hospitals for
20pre-natal care and baby check-ups with volunteer doctors; in
21her later adult years, she cared for elderly friends who were
22ill by driving them to their medical appointments and mailing

 

 

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1them New Yorker cartoons to raise their spirits, maintaining
2her lifelong habit of taking care of others; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Ruth Youngerman was a founding member of the
4Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra Board in 1959; she led
5fundraising and recruiting efforts to form the volunteer
6Symphony Guild and served as its first president in 1962; she
7was also instrumental in the opening of the Krannert Art
8Museum, where she participated in several group excursions led
9by the museum's director; she was a founding volunteer and
10contributor in forging the early connection of local WILL
11radio and TV station to the fledging national Corporation for
12Public Broadcasting (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR),
13which led to the arrival of Sesame Street and All Things
14Considered in downstate Illinois; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Ruth Youngerman received the distinction of the
16Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra dedicating its 60th
17anniversary performance to her, and the orchestra played
18Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in her honor, a piece she heard
19during the orchestra's first season; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Ruth Youngerman enjoyed swimming, golfing, and
21playing tennis; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Ruth Youngerman is survived by her children, Dr.

 

 

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1William D. (Candace Branigan) Youngerman, Dr. Joseph K.
2(Ronnie Scharfman) Youngerman, and Kay Ann Youngerman; her
3nephew, Michael Wiese; her grandchildren, Ethan, Zach, and
4Erik; her twin step-grandchildren; and her three
5great-grandchildren; therefore, 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
8Ruth Josephine Youngerman and extend our sincere condolences
9to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be
10it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12presented to the family of Ruth Youngerman as an expression of
13our deepest sympathy.