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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 Robert G.
4Kirchner of Urbana, who passed away on April 17, 2011; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner was born on June 23, 1956, in
6Joliet; his parents were Robert and Margaret (Keyser) Kirchner;
7he grew up in New Lenox; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner attended Western Illinois
9University, earning his Bachelor's degree in philosophy and
10political science in 1976 and his Master's degree in political
11science in 1977; while in college, he met his future wife,
12Gerri; they married August 25, 1979, in Park Ridge; he later
13attended the University of Illinois College of Law, and earned
14his law degree in 1982; and
 
15    WHEREAS, After earning his law degree, he joined the
16Champaign law practice of Burt Greaves and Art Lerner, which
17became Greaves, Lerner and Kirchner, and later, Lerner and
18Kirchner; in 2002, he opened his own law office in Champaign;
19he argued many cases before the appellate courts and the
20Illinois Supreme Court, winning several cases that established
21legal precedents; he was well known among his peers as a
22champion of numerous legal causes that other attorneys would

 

 

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1not take; and
 
2    WHEREAS, He ran as a Democratic candidate for State
3Representative in 1996; despite losing the election, his
4campaign engaged public participation by hosting a series of
5monthly symposiums on key issues impacting State legislation,
6including education funding, crime, drug abuse, gun control,
7child welfare, women's rights, health care, employment laws,
8and campaign finance reform; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner served on the Champaign County
10Board as the District 9 representative, appointed in 2001 and
11elected in 2002 to a 2-year term; as a member of the board, he
12voted to pass laws to guarantee a living wage for all full-time
13county employees, prohibit employment discrimination on the
14basis of race, gender, or sexual orientation, and establish
15free dental care for low-income children; he served as chair of
16the county nursing home sub-committee and worked on the
17successful passage of the referendum proposal to fund its
18construction; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner served as Vice President of the
20Champaign County Bar Association from 1994 to 1995; in 1994, he
21helped establish Best Interest of Children, a local non-profit
22organization dedicated to child and family advocacy, and served
23on the organization's board; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, He was an avid softball player, and enjoyed
2volleyball, bocce ball, bowling, ping pong, bridge, hearts,
3pinochle, poker, and other games; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner is survived by his wife of 32
5years, Gerri; his sisters, Marlene (Dennis) Gallagher and
6Lorrie (Robert) Chaplin; his brothers, John (Carol) Burkhart,
7Ron (Laura) Kirchner, and David Kirchner; his brother-in-law,
8Paul (Sue) Geissler; his sister-in-law, Shelly (Paul) Kotecki;
9his 4 nephews; and his 7 nieces; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
12we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of
13Robert Kirchner; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the family of Robert Kirchner as an expression of
16our sympathy.