SR0496 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0496 LRB093 21621 KEF 49108 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate were saddened to learn of the death of United States Marine Corps helicopter pilot Capt. Adam Miller of Midolothian on January 22, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Capt. Miller was among the four people tragically killed when a military helicopter crashed during a training exercise at a Camp Pendelton, a base north of San Diego; he was part of a detachment from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, attached to the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 166, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force; and

WHEREAS, Capt. Miller had returned from Iraq in August and was set to redeploy there in June; he had previously served in Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, Capt. Miller graduated from Oak Forest High School, where he played basketball; he was a member of a group of friends that his parents, Joe and Sandra Miller, dubbed "The Brainiacs"; and

WHEREAS, Capt. Miller's military career started after he earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering in 1996 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; it was at college that he met Nicole, his wife of three years and an Aurora native; and

WHEREAS, Upon graduation, he was accepted into the Marines' officer training school in Quantico, Virginia, and became a lieutenant in 1997; he earned his wings in 1998 and his mother was honored to pin them on during the ceremony; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Capt. Adam Miller will be deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Nicole; his parents, Joseph and Sandra (nee Schmeski); his siblings, James and Melissa; his nephew, Jacob; his grandparents, Edward and Joyce Schmeski; his uncles, John Schmeski, Wade (Dawn) Schmeski and Jimmy, Gene, Jerry, Tommy (Kathy), Jack, Denny (Joyce) and Mickey Miller; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Josef and Linda (nee Masters) Ratschan; and his sister-in-law, Kristin (Henry) Reifsnyder; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the tragic death of Capt. Adam Miller along with all who knew and loved him and extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Capt. Adam Miller as an expression of our deepest sympathy.