HR0523 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0523 LRB096 13312 KXB 28003 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor milestones in the lives of citizens of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Rita T. Picken, longtime Hyde Park resident, will turn 90 on July 6, 2009; and

WHEREAS, Rita was born in Wausau, Wisconsin; she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Wisconsin in 1942 and a Master of Science degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1968; and

WHEREAS, While teaching English for the two-year University of Wisconsin Center in Kenosha, Rita and her late husband, Dean Barnard Tallent, helped to establish the four-year University of Wisconsin Parkside campus in Kenosha; and

WHEREAS, Rita was elected Kenosha's Woman of the Year in 1969; and

WHEREAS, In 1976, Rita married Robert F. Picken and moved to Chicago, where her commitment to community activism flourished; and

WHEREAS, Rita was particularly active with St. Thomas the Apostle Parish; she was a member of the flower committee, arranging flowers for masses and special events; she regularly worked the candy booth at the Parish's Christmas Bazaar; she also organized ethnic lunches at the church, promoting the exchange of cultures among the diverse parishioners; and

WHEREAS, Rita served on the board of her family-owned company, Peerless Confection Company, for almost 25 years; she was known for being an active participant in the lives of the employees and every year sent Christmas cards to each and every one of the workers; and

WHEREAS, Rita was active with the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club; she served on the board in the 1980s and was instrumental in implementing programs such as the Good Neighbors Awards and its service auctions, which raised money when volunteers offered their services in exchange for donations to the Club; and

WHEREAS, Rita also volunteered her time with the University of Chicago Service League, serving as the President from 1983 to 1984; she was also active in the Service League's drama group and its Chicago Commons program; and

WHEREAS, Rita has volunteered her time at the Oriental Institute for over 30 years and has been a member of the Visiting Committee since 1985; with the help of her daughter, Kitty, she helped fund the Robert F. Picken Family Nubia Gallery; she was also the creator of the Institute's Pyramid Parties; on May 6 of this year Rita was named the 2009 Breasted Medallion recipient at the Oriental Institute's 90th Jubilee celebration; and

WHEREAS, Rita has always been a political activist; she was an active member of the League of Women Voters in Wisconsin and, after moving to Chicago, became active with the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization; she was often seen even on the worst of Chicago's winter days passing out campaign literature, which led some constituents to assume she was the mother of whichever candidate it happened to be, as only a mother would be out in weather like that; and

WHEREAS, Rita loves to garden, travel, attend the theater, read, and spoil her pet dog, Maggie; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Rita T. Picken on her ninetieth birthday and wish her many more; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rita T. Picken as a symbol of our affection, gratitude, and respect.