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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 Ruth
4Colby of New Lenox, who passed away on October 15, 2023; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby earned a bachelor's degree from
6Northwestern University, a master's degree from New York
7University, and an MBA from the University of Chicago,
8specializing in finance; she married Donald M. DeFrank; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby served as president and CEO of Silver
10Cross Hospital, where she oversaw marketing, planning
11strategy, government relations, physician relations, and
12recruitment, along with other critical areas; under her
13leadership, Silver Cross Hospital opened Will County's first
14and only Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, introduced an
15open-heart surgery program, and championed the opening of the
16Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery; she forged many
17partnerships with leading Chicago based health systems,
18including the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab for inpatient and
19outpatient rehabilitation services, University of Chicago
20Medicine for cancer services and neurosciences, the Rush
21University Medical Center for lung surgery, the Ann and Robert
22H. Lurie Children's Hospital for pediatric and neonatal
23services, and US HealthVest to build the 110-bed Silver Oaks

 

 

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1Behavioral Hospital; she served as vice president of Provider
2Sales at Solucient, LLC and as the vice president of Business
3Development at the University of Chicago Health Systems; she
4held senior positions at the Sachs Group and HCIA/Sachs during
5multiple mergers; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby was deeply engaged in community
7service, including serving as the past president of the
8Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, chair
9of the Will County Center for Economic Development, board
10member of the Will County Children's Advocacy Center, and the
11chair-elect of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association;
12she was appointed to the American Hospital Association's
13Regional Planning Board for Region 5 and was a member of the
14American Hospital Association Membership Group, the United Way
15of Will County Pillars Society, the Joliet Rotary Club, and
16the Economic Club of Chicago; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby received the national award for
18Individual Personal Achievement in 2009, the Athena Award from
19the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce in 2021, and the
20Distinguished Citizen Award from the Rainbow Council of the
21Boy Scouts; she was named the New Lenox Citizen of the Year by
22the New Lenox Chamber of Commerce in 2023, recognized as a
23Notable Woman in Healthcare and a Notable Woman Executive over
24age 50 by Crain's Chicago Business in 2019, and was honored by

 

 

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1Crain's Chicago Business as a Notable Healthcare Executive;
2and
 
3    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby was a beloved wife, loving mother and
4aunt, and a dear sister and sister-in-law; she was known to her
5community as a healthcare visionary through her work both
6professionally and personally; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Ruth Colby is survived by her husband; her son,
8David (Becky Riffkin) Chodak; her sister, Judy (Steven)
9Dolins; her sister-in-law, Sue DeFrank; her nieces, Maddie
10Dolins and Gabi Kastel; and her nephew, 1st Lieutenant U.S.
11Navy Dr. Michael (Meredith) Beeler; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we mourn the passing of Ruth Colby and extend our sincere
15condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved
16her; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18presented to the family of Ruth Colby as an expression of our
19deepest sympathy.