SR0556 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois were saddened to learn of the death of Frances Nies Rossbach of Chicago City, Minnesota, formerly a Clarendon Hills resident from 1949 to 2000, on February 11, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Rossbach was born on September 18, 1924, in El Paso, Texas; she was an avid tennis player who competed in numerous city tennis championships; and

WHEREAS, She received her bachelor's degree in business from what is now the University of Texas El Paso in 1945, where she was named Outstanding Woman Graduate; at the college, she was an active member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and served twice as president of the sorority alumnae group in southwest suburban Chicago; and

WHEREAS, She met her future husband while he was serving with the United States Army, stationed at Fort Bliss during World War II; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Rossbach was president of the Walker School Parent-Teacher Association in the late 1950s and part of a citizens group that introduced foreign language instruction into District 181 elementary schools; and

WHEREAS, In the 1960s, she helped in the construction of the Church of the Holy Nativity; she served on the church vestry and was president of the Episcopal Churchwomen; she mobilized support for the St. Augustine Indian Center in Chicago, which enabled the center to buy its current facility; she was den mother for both of her sons' Cub Scout troops and a Girl Scout leader when her daughter was involved; and

WHEREAS, In the early 1960s, she led the citizens' committee to build the Clarendon Hills' firehouse and the referendum campaign to create the police and fire pension fund; in the 1970s, she was chairman of the Clarendon Hills historical committee and helped write the village's 50-year history; she was also chairman of the Downers Grove Township Senior Citizens Committee and was director of senior activities at The Community House in Hinsdale; she taught the 55 Alive Defensive Driving Course; in 1964, she and her husband were the first couple to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the Clarendon Hills Junior Chamber of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Frances Nies Rossbach will be deeply felt by many, especially her husband of 58 years, Paul; her children, Bill, Bob, and Pamela Schmitz; her grandchildren, Kyle and Emilie Schmitz, Jennifer, David, and Emily Richardson-Rossbach, and Brigit and Dylan Rossbach; and her sister, Emily Louis Bowden; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of Frances Nies Rossbach along with all who knew and loved her and extend our sincere condolences to her family and friends; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Frances Nies Rossbach as an expression of our deepest sympathy.