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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Michael B. "Mike" Bass, who passed
4away on March 18, 2024; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Mike Bass was born to Tom and Bonnie (Learned)
6Bass in San Jose, California on June 1, 1960; he received his
7bachelor's degree in political science and MBA degree from the
8University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Mike Bass had a distinguished college athletic
10career with the Fighting Illini football team, finishing in
111982 as Illinois's all-time leading scorer with 212 points;
12known as the Illini's "Barefoot Kicker", he led Illinois in
13scoring in all three seasons of 1980, 1981, and 1982, while
14also finishing his career as the Illini's season and career
15field goal record holder by making 24 of 28 field goals in 1982
16and 41 field goals during his three-year career; he is still
17tied for the single-game record by making five field goals
18that included the game winner with a 46-yard kick on the final
19play of the game in a 29-28 victory at Wisconsin in 1982; he
20was selected as a team captain in 1982 when the Illini played
21in the Liberty Bowl, the school's first bowl appearance since
22the 1964 Rose Bowl; he earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors
23and Second-Team All-America recognition his senior year of

 

 

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11982; he was selected as a member of the Illinois Football
2All-Century Team in 1990; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Mike Bass had a 20-year career with the
4University of Illinois System and retired in May 2022 as the
5Special Advisor to the President and Deputy Comptroller; prior
6to joining the University of Illinois System, he worked in
7Springfield in the Bureau of the Budget for 15 years, as a
8member of the Senate Minority Appropriations Staff, as Budget
9Director for the Department of Public Aid, and as
10Appropriations Director for the Senate Majority Staff for 10
11years; he was an expert on State of Illinois budgets and set
12high standards for himself and his appropriations staff in
13their analysis of the State of Illinois budgets; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Mike Bass was fiercely loyal to the University of
15Illinois, his friends, and his family; he will especially be
16remembered for his great belly laugh and great smile; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Mike Bass was preceded in death by his father,
18Tom, and grandparents, aunts, and uncles; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Mike Bass is survived by his mother, Bonnie; his
20wife, Mona; his son, Tucker; his sister-in-law, Lisa Griffin;
21his brother, Bob (Paula) Bass; his niece, Sara (James)
22Andreson and children Zoe, Dean, Samuel; his nephew, Robbie;

 

 

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1his brother, David (Igmar) Bass; his stepmother, Michele; and
2his stepsister, Shana (Jonah) Sonnenshein and children Delilah
3and Sarina; therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
5ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
6Michael B. "Mike" Bass and extend our sincere condolences to
7his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
8further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to the family of Mike Bass as an expression of our
11deepest sympathy.