HR0848 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0848 LRB095 14646 GRL 40724 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Illinois National Guard Specialist Ashley Sietsema of DeKalb, who passed away on November 12, 2007 in Kuwait; and

WHEREAS, Spc. Ashley Sietsema was born on September 14, 1987 in Chicago; she was the daughter of Olivia Segura; she married Max W. Sietsema on April 27, 2007 in River Grove; and

WHEREAS, Spc. Ashley Sietsema graduated from East Leyden High School in Franklin Park in 2005; she attended Northern Illinois University for one semester, where she was pursuing a nursing degree; and

WHEREAS, Spc. Ashley Sietsema enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in December of 2004; after training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina and Fort Sam Houston in Texas, she was assigned to the 708th Medical Company in North Riverside, where she served as a health care specialist and ambulance driver; on September 3, 2007, she was sent to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where she served until her passing; and

WHEREAS, Spc. Ashley Sietsema enjoyed teaching Bible classes and helping with community service projects in any way she could; she was described as an individual who wanted to help people and who looked for the positives in others; and

WHEREAS, Spc. Ashley Sietsema was well known for her generosity to those in need and her compassion and dedication to her family and her fellow soldiers and who lost her life trying to save another soldier; and

WHEREAS, Spc. Ashley Sietsema is survived by her husband, Max; her mother, Olivia (Alberto) Segura; her grandmother, Florina Rebolledo; her brother, Kyle Segura; and her aunts, Florina Alvarez and Nadia Alvarez; and

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of National Guard Specialist Ashley Sietsema; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we honor the memory of Specialist Ashley Sietsema and her willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice in service of her country; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Ashley Sietsema as an expression of our sympathy.