093_SR0235

 
                                     LRB093 13261 HSS 18530 r

 1                          SENATE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members  of  the  Senate  of  the  State  of
 3    Illinois learned with much regret of the death of Buddy Wayne
 4    Davis of Wood River on Sunday, September 7, 2003; and

 5        WHEREAS,  Mr. Davis was born on March 6, 1930 in Alton to
 6    Helen (Bourland) Hunt and Everett "Pete"  Davis;  he  married
 7    Iola  E.  Davis  on May 9, 1949 in Alton; she preceded him in
 8    death on May 7, 1999; and

 9        WHEREAS, After graduating from  Alton  High  School,  Mr.
10    Davis  enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged
11    in 1950; he then began his work with Laclede Steel; he served
12    as shop steward, vice president, and full-time  president  of
13    Local 3643 at Laclede Steel for 8 years; and

14        WHEREAS,  Mr.  Davis  was  known  as  the "working man's"
15    advocate and was very active  in  the  United  Steel  Workers
16    Association  Local 3643; his union duties included serving as
17    vice president of the Missouri and Illinois AFL-CIO, chairman
18    of the USWA Illinois  P.A.C.,  chairman  and  member  of  the
19    congressional   district  COPE,  chairman  and  secretary  of
20    numerous AFL-CIO and USWA International conventions, chairman
21    of  Illinois  AFL-CIO  community  services   committee,   and
22    chairman to negotiation committees, including National Steel,
23    American Can Co., and ASARCO; and

24        WHEREAS,  In  1973,  Mr. Davis became the sub-director of
25    USWA District 34, which represented more than 20,000  workers
26    in   Missouri,  Iowa,  Nebraska,  Kansas,  and  the  southern
27    three-quarters of Illinois; in 1977, he was elected  director
28    of District 34; he retired from the position in 1993; and

29        WHEREAS,  Mr. Davis was also very involved with community
30    activities; he was instrumental in raising money to  purchase
31    land  for  Southern  Illinois University Edwardsville; he was
 
                            -2-      LRB093 13261 HSS 18530 r
 1    the first president of the Alton-Wood River  United  Way  and
 2    was  a  board  member  for  both the St. Louis and Alton-Wood
 3    River United Way Chapters; he was a member of the  University
 4    of Illinois and Missouri University Labor Institutes Advisory
 5    committees;  he was on fund-raising committees for the United
 6    Way, Salvation Army, YMCA, and the American Red Cross; he was
 7    a delegate for many union conventions and  served  just  more
 8    than  a year on the Wood River City Council from February 17,
 9    1998 to April of 1999; he was honored to be the  first  labor
10    leader  to  receive  a  Junior Chamber of Commerce man of the
11    year award; and

12        WHEREAS, The passing of Mr. Davis has been deeply felt by
13    many,  especially   his   mother,   Helen;   his   sons   and
14    daughters-in-law, State Representative Steve and Carol Davis,
15    Scott  Davis,  Danny Davis, Mike Davis, Brian and Tina Davis,
16    and Brady and Kristi Davis; his  daughters  and  sons-in-law,
17    Dawn  and  Harold Schallenberg and Marla and Kevin Johnessee;
18    his grandchildren, Shane Davis, Shelly Bell and her  husband,
19    Tim,  Scottie Davis and his wife, Sherina, Cory Davis, Justin
20    Davis,  Ryan  Schallenberg  and  his  wife,  Rachel,  Crystal
21    Rezabek and her husband, Brian, Brent,  Brianna,  and  Calvin
22    Davis, Kendra and Austin Johnessee, Brooke Davis, and Donovan
23    Davis;   his  five  great-grandchildren;  his  sister,  Betty
24    McDonald; his brother, Gary Hunt and his  wife,  Jeanie;  and
25    his stepsister, Norma Berkley; therefore, be it

26        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
27    ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the loss  of
28    Buddy  Wayne  Davis,  and  we express our sincere and deepest
29    sympathy to his family, friends, and all who knew  and  loved
30    him; and be it further

31        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
32    presented to the family of Buddy Wayne Davis as  a  token  of
33    our sincere condolences during their time of bereavement.