SR0022 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0022 LRB102 10306 ECR 15633 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Duncan Gordon Leitch, formerly of East Peoria and father of former State Representative David Leitch, who passed away on August 3, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Duncan Leitch was born to Angus McLeod and Rose Ellen Buchanan Leitch in Bad Axe, Michigan on June 19, 1923; he graduated from high school in 1940; he attended Michigan State University, working full time to pay for his education; after Pearl Harbor, he left school, worked in an airplane factory for a year, and then joined the U.S. Navy in 1943; he served in the Pacific at Okinawa where he prepared the U.S. bombers for early morning missions; after his service, he used the GI Bill and graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in agronomy; he married Eunice Krans in 1947, and she passed in 2013, after almost 66 years together; and

WHEREAS, Duncan Gordan worked in agricultural education; his career kept the family on the move through Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana; he loved his job, waking up each day grateful to spend time on farms with farmers; as a child, he grew up on a small farm with no electricity or running water; by the time he was 12, he was responsible for much of the farm work, which was done with horse-drawn equipment; and

WHEREAS, Duncan Gordan attended Windsor Presbyterian Church in Des Moines, a faith community that gave him and his wife great joy throughout their lives; and

WHEREAS, Duncan loved tools, woodworking, and projects of all kinds; after retirement, he enjoyed playing the harmonica in local jam sessions; he was fiercely proud of being a veteran, and a highlight of his life was participating in the Iowa Honor Flight for veterans in 2017; and

WHEREAS, Duncan Leitch was preceded in death by his parents; his sister; his wife; and his son, Paul; and

WHEREAS, Duncan Leitch is survived by his three children, David, Carol, and Brian; his 11 grandchildren; and his 11 great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Duncan Gordon Leitch and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Duncan Gordon Leitch as an expression of our deepest sympathy.