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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of William E. Froelich Jr., who passed away
4on December 26, 2011; and
 
5    WHEREAS, William Froelich Jr. was born on August 31, 1923,
6in Bloomington; he was the son of William E. and Edna M.
7Gingerich Froelich; he married Nancy J. Hoose on November 25,
81950, in Bloomington; and
 
9    WHEREAS, William Froelich Jr. was a graduate of Gridley
10High School, Illinois Wesleyan University, and the University
11of Minnesota, where he received his degree in mortuary science;
12he was a brother of the Sigma Nu fraternity; and
 
13    WHEREAS, William Froelich Jr. served his country as a
14member of the United States Navy during World War II aboard the
15USS Admiral Benson; and
 
16    WHEREAS, William Froelich Jr. was a licensed funeral
17director for more than 60 years; he was the owner and operator
18of The Froelich Family of Memorial Homes in Gridley, Flanagan,
19El Paso, Minonk, Toluca, Bloomington, Normal, Danvers, and
20Carlock, which was established by his father in 1910; he led
21the development of the mortuary science program at Southern

 

 

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1Illinois University in Carbondale and was on the board of
2directors of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association, where
3he served as president in 1959; he was also the founder of the
4Illinois Funeral Service Foundation and the Funeral Service
5Museum Board; and
 
6    WHEREAS, William Froelich Jr. was an active member of First
7United Church in Gridley; he was involved for many years in the
8Gridley, Flanagan, El Paso, and Bloomington communities, as
9well as Gridley American Legion Post 218, the Lions Club, the
10Elks Club, the Bloomington Consistory, and numerous athletic
11programs; he was also a proud Eagle Scout and leader of Gridley
12Boy Scouts Troop 21; and
 
13    WHEREAS, William Froelich Jr. had an entrepreneurial
14spirit and was a co-founder of Heritage Enterprises in 1961,
15which owns and operates nursing homes, assisted living
16facilities, and the Brittany restaurant; he served as chairman
17of the board of directors for Heritage until 2003; he served on
18the Illinois Wesleyan University associates board and was a
19former director of Amcore Bank (Freestar) in Gridley; he served
20as chairman of the McLean County Regional Planning Board for 10
21years and was instrumental in the founding of the Gridley,
22Flanagan, and El Paso community ambulance squads; he was
23actively involved in the American Red Cross, teaching first aid
24and EMT courses in Gridley, Flanagan, and El Paso; he was also

 

 

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1active in politics, serving as a delegate for the National
2Republican Party Convention and on the local Central Committee
3of the McLean County Republican Party; and
 
4    WHEREAS, William Froelich Jr. was the recipient of the
5Toledo, Peoria, and Western Railroad Community Service Award;
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, William Froelich Jr. was preceded in death by his
8parents; his son, William E. Froelich III; and his niece, Helen
9Jane Holt Seal; and
 
10    WHEREAS, William Froelich Jr. is survived by his wife,
11Nancy; his daughter, Susan (Paul) Laiming; his sons, Craig
12(Barbara) and David (Kathy); his sister, Helen Holt; his
13nephew, Rush Holt Jr.; his grandchildren, Paul (Melissa)
14Laiming, Katie (Shannon) Bachelor, Will (Shauna) Froelich,
15Nick (Brandi) Froelich, and Alex, Abbey, Gabe, Churchill, Jake,
16John, and Matthew Froelich; and his 10 great-grandchildren;
17therefore, be it
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
19ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
20his family and friends, the passing of William E. Froelich Jr.;
21and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2presented to the family of William Froelich Jr. as an
3expression of our sympathy.