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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of James L. "Jim" Ranney of East Peoria,
4who passed away on August 29, 2022; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney was born in East Peoria to James E. and
6Helen (Sperry) Ranney on October 19, 1938; he graduated from
7East Peoria Community High School in 1956 and earned a degree
8in biology at Eureka College in 1962; he married Sandra Ruth
9Pfeiffer in Ashton on December 29, 1963; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney began his career in education as a
11science teacher and coach at Ashton Westview Jr. High School;
12then, while teaching at Woodruff High School in 1964, he
13attended Bradley University and received his master's degree
14in Guidance and Counseling; in 1970, he earned his Ph.D. in
15Educational Administration from Southern Illinois University,
16where he was awarded the Raymond Foster Memorial Scholarship;
17he then worked for the Troy Community Consolidated School
18District in Joliet as the Assistant Superintendent for
19Curriculum, Research, and Title Project and as a junior high
20school principal; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney was named an Outstanding Young Man in
22America by the Phi Delta Kappa Professional Fraternity for Men

 

 

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1in Education in 1972; he returned to the East Peoria area to
2become the Director of Elementary Curriculum for Peoria Public
3Schools in 1973, where he worked until he retired in 1993; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney was a proud resident of East Peoria
5and took great pride in being involved in the community; in
61975, he became the Commissioner of Public Property for East
7Peoria; he also served as a board member for the Tri-County
8Planning Commission and as a member of the East Peoria Kiwanis
9Club and Bicentennial Commission; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney was elected mayor of East Peoria in
111979, a position he proudly held until 1987; during his time as
12mayor, he served as the chairman of the Tri-County Mayor's
13Association and was a member of several local groups,
14including the East Peoria Chamber of Commerce, the Tri-County
15Economic Development Council, where he served as an executive
16committee member for three years, the Route 121 Task Force,
17the Central Illinois Alcoholism Council, Big Brothers/Big
18Sisters, the Peoria Lake/Illinois River Study Advisory
19Committee, the Eighteenth District Congressional Award
20Council, the Peoria Area Volunteer Fire Prevention Advisory
21Council, the Women Strength Sexual Assault Advisory Committee,
22the Tri-County Tomorrow Steering Committee, and the United Way
23Home Health Care Task Force; one of his greatest achievements
24as mayor was starting the Festival of Lights Parade in 1985;

 

 

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1and
 
2    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney was recognized in Who's Who in America
3in 1983 and the Directory of Distinguished Americans in 1984;
4he was named the East Peoria Citizen of the Year in 1986; in
51987, he was honored as the Tri-County Citizen of the Year and
6was also awarded the Eureka College Alumni Award of Merit; he
7was honored by East Peoria with the public service building
8named after him; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, the
10Sigma Zeta Science Honorary Society, the International Reading
11Association, the Illinois Reading Association, and the
12National Council of Teachers of English; he was a past member
13of the Illinois Association of Supervision & Development and
14the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development; he
15was a longtime member of the University United Methodist
16Church in Peoria; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney loved going to different places; he
18enjoyed attending the Indy 500, which he did for over 40 years,
19Bradley basketball games, Bears games, and Cubs game; he also
20enjoyed golfing with his buddies and spending time with his
21friends; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney was preceded in death by his daughter,

 

 

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1Christine; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Jim Ranney is survived by his wife of 58 years,
3Sandra; his son, James (Mindi) Ranney; his grandchildren,
4Zachary, Joshua, Nicole, Paige, and James Max; and his
5brother, Bill (Peggy) Ranney; 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
8James L. "Jim" Ranney 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 Jim Ranney as an expression of our
13deepest sympathy.