SR0816 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0816 LRB102 26139 ECR 35688 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of M. Dennis Turner of Danville, who passed away on January 26, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Dennis Turner was born to A. Martin and Beulah Radebaugh Turner in Indianapolis, Indiana on August 9, 1932; he attended Danville High School, Danville Junior College, and Eastern Illinois University; he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, Dennis Turner returned to the family farm after his military service; he expanded the farm's dairy herd and became more involved with Prairie Farms Dairy, the cooperative through which the farm's milk production had been marketed for several years; during the years that he had a dairy herd, several hundred Danville school children toured the dairy operation at the family farm; he also endeavored to use conservation practices when farming the Sesquicentennial Family Farm soil to leave it better than when he began his tenure as the farm's steward; and

WHEREAS, Dennis Turner was elected to the Board of Directors of Prairie Farms Dairy and served for 21 years; he also represented Prairie Farms on the Board of Directors of the Illinois American Dairy Association; during this time, he was asked to serve on the Vermilion County Farm Bureau Board; he was also asked to serve on the building committee for the new Vermilion County Center for Agriculture when it was built; and

WHEREAS, Dennis Turner served as secretary of the Water Authority Board and was one of three Blount Township citizens to be appointed to serve as a trustee of the Blount Township Water Authority when it was organized in 1994; and

WHEREAS, Dennis Turner was a member of Farmers Chapel Church, and he served as treasurer and trustee chairman of the Building Fund; he was also a member of the Robert Wurtsbaugh Chapter of Korean War Veterans Association, where he served on the honor guard; and

WHEREAS, Dennis Turner was immensely proud of his family; and

WHEREAS, Dennis Turner was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Dale (Jackie); and his infant twins, Norman and Norma; and

WHEREAS, Dennis Turner is survived by his wife, Mabel; his sons, Robert (Robin) Turner and Steven (Tara Bray) Turner; his daughter, Donna Carrigan; his grandsons, Chris (Katie), Tyler, and Travis Turner; his granddaughters, Kayla (Alex) Rosdail, Kelsie (Tyler) Cunningham, and Lacey (Aaron) Fessler; his great-grandchildren, Hayleigh Fessler, Hayden Fessler, Myla Cunningham, and Austin Cunningham; his several nieces and nephews; and his good friend, Jerry Edwards; 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 M. Dennis Turner 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 Dennis Turner as an expression of our deepest sympathy.