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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois
3 learned with regret of the death of the Honorable Judge Barbara
4 J. Badger of New Lenox on April 11, 2006; and
 
5     WHEREAS, She was born in Evergreen Park and grew up in
6 Crete, Illinois, with her parents, Dorothy and Thomas Badger,
7 and her sister, Margie; she was a member of Crete-Monee High
8 School class of 1968; she was a 1972 graduate of the University
9 of Illinois and a 1976 graduate of John Marshall Law School;
10 and
 
11     WHEREAS, She was admitted to practice law and started her
12 career as an Assistant State's Attorney in Will County, where
13 she was the first female prosecutor hired by then Will County
14 State's Attorney and now Senator Ed Petka, who named her to
15 head the Sexual Crimes Prosecution Unit; she worked four years
16 under his leadership; during that time, she also taught three
17 semesters of Criminal Law and Procedures at the Joliet Junior
18 College; and
 
19     WHEREAS, In 1980, she joined the Public Defender's Office,
20 becoming the Chief Public Defender in 1990; during that time,
21 she also had a private practice; she served as public defender
22 from 1990 to 1995, and when county finances were tight, she
23 went part-time and took a pay cut to avert pay cuts for
24 assistants in her office; and
 
25     WHEREAS, The culmination of her career was being sworn in
26 as an Associate Judge of Will County in 1995 and serving on the
27 bench; she wore her robe with extreme pride and presided over
28 juvenile, civil, and criminal proceedings; and
 
29     WHEREAS, Judge Badger was admired for her persistence,
30 focus, dedication, and knowledge; she was straightforward and

 

 

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1 honest; she strongly believed in the justice system and loved
2 her country; and
 
3     WHEREAS, The law was of the utmost importance to her, but
4 she also loved the Illini, the White Sox, and her cats; she had
5 a fondness for Chief Illiniwek and was especially proud of her
6 hero second baseman Hall of Famer Nellie Fox; she met Mr. Fox
7 when she was a child at White Sox games and later served on the
8 committee to get him admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame;
9 she was thrilled to go to the first game of the World Series
10 and cheer for her 2005 World Championship White Sox; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The passing of Judge Barbara J. Badger has been
12 deeply felt by many, especially her father, Thomas Badger; her
13 sister, Marjorie Humphreys; and her longtime friend, Lynn
14 Jencon; therefore, be it
 
15     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
16 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
17 Judge Barbara J. Badger, and we extend our sincere condolences
18 to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; she
19 will be remembered as an extraordinary woman, judge, friend,
20 daughter, and sister; and be it further
 
21     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
22 presented to her family as an expression of our deepest
23 sympathy.