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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Jesse R. Smart, the former Mayor of
4Bloomington, who passed away on August 25, 2023; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Jesse Smart was born to Kenneth and Bertha Smart
6in Pearl on April 29, 1939; he graduated with a bachelor's
7degree in agriculture education from the University of
8Illinois; he married Susan Ann Stover in Centralia on July 16,
91961; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Jesse Smart taught vocational agriculture and
11biology at Stanford High School in Stanford; he worked at Funk
12Bros. Seed Co. and Ciba-Geigy Co. in Bloomington; he was
13president and owner of Smart Seeds Inc. in Bloomington; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Jesse Smart served on the Bloomington City
15Council from 1978 to 1985; he then served as Mayor of the City
16of Bloomington from 1985 to 1997; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Jesse Smart served on many various commissions
18and boards, including the Illinois State Board of Elections
19from 2001 to 2015, during which he served as chairman and vice
20chairman for eight years; he also served as executive director
21and treasurer of the Western Seed Association for many years

 

 

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1and was chairman of the Farm Seed Division, American Seed
2Trade Association; he formerly served as president of the
3Illinois Seed Dealers Association, president of the Prairie
4Aviation Air Show, captain of the Shrine Tin Lizzie Patrol,
5president of the Young Men's Club, and treasurer of the
6Mosbacher 4-H Scholarship Fund; he was a past member of
7College Park Christian Church in Normal; he volunteered for
8the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts and was a past
9member of the Cultural Commission; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Jesse Smart was named McLean County Agriculture
11Businessman of the Year in 1989 and a 2017 History Maker
12Honoree by the McLean County Museum of History; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Jesse Smart was a loving husband and father who
14never met a stranger; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Jesse Smart was preceded in death by his wife and
16his infant son, Jeffrey; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Jesse Smart is survived by his children, Deborah
18(Matthew) Barton and Gregory (Michelle) Smart; therefore, be
19it
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
21ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of

 

 

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1Jesse R. Smart, the former Mayor of Bloomington, and extend
2our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who
3knew and loved him; and be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
5presented to the family of Jesse Smart as an expression of our
6deepest sympathy.