HR0882 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0882 LRB095 15723 KXB 41730 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Edward A. Brennan of Burr Ridge, who passed away December 27, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Edward Brennan was born in 1934 in Chicago; he was a 1955 graduate of Marquette University; Mr. Brennan retired from Sears, Roebuck and Company, as chairman and chief executive officer on August 9, 1995, after a 39-year career; he started with Sears in 1958 selling men's furnishings in Madison, Wisconsin, and rose through the ranks to become Sears' eleventh chairman, a position he achieved in 1986; and

WHEREAS, He served on the boards of Exelon Corporation and McDonald's Corporation; in previous years, he served on the boards of Allstate, 3M, Morgan Stanley, Dean Foods, and AMR, the parent company of American Airlines, where he served as executive chairman from April 2003 to May 2004; Mr. Brennan previously served as chairman of the Board of Trustees at DePaul University and Marquette University, and was president of the United Way of America; and

WHEREAS, He was the chairman of the Board of Trustees of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and a member of the United States Naval Academy Foundation Board; and

WHEREAS, Edward Brennan was recognized for a lifetime of philanthropy and civic leadership and a lifelong commitment to public service and higher education in Chicago, as evidenced by his 20 years of service as a DePaul trustee; he founded the University's Corporate and Foundation Gifts Committee and also helped to arrange numerous gifts to the university, funding both scholarships and facilities; he also found time to serve many other educational, Catholic, and not-for-profit organizations; even in retirement, he still chaired the board at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center; and

WHEREAS, Edward Brennan is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lois L. (nee Lyon); his children, Edward J. (Deborah S.) Brennan, Cindy B. (John) Walls, Sharon B. Lisnow, Donald A. (Kimberly M.) Brennan, John L. (Jean M.) Brennan, and Linda B. (Joel) Thode; his siblings, Bernard (Tammy) Brennan, David (Mary) Brennan, Margaret Bourget, Melissa Brennan, and Joan Ely; and 19 grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Edward A. Brennan; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Edward A. Brennan as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.