HR0705 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0705 LRB096 15048 GRL 30222 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Lester Thomas Pritchard of Urbana, who passed away on October 12, 2009; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard was born on September 25, 1949, in Galesburg; he was the son of William and Barbara Bauer Pritchard; he married Barbara Cotter on November 17, 1990, in Urbana; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard graduated from the University of Illinois and was a disability rights activist on the local, State, and federal levels; he began his lifetime of activism in his hometown of Galesburg, where his family ran a local newspaper; while in Galesburg, he championed efforts to make local businesses accessible and cut sidewalk curbs to street level; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard's involvement in disability issues began on the day he was born and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a point from which he experienced firsthand the struggle for equality, dignity, and access; he devoted the past 30-plus years as an advocate for independence, equal rights, and opportunities for people with disabilities; he saw Illinois' disability rights movement as a modern civil rights battle, a vision that propelled him to create the Campaign for Real Choice in Illinois, which seeks to advance the rights and independence of people with disabilities so that they can choose the lives they wish to lead; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard spent nearly as much time rallying legislators in Springfield for a better system and increased opportunities for people with developmental disabilities as he did in his hometown of Urbana; in Urbana, he helped pass a landmark ordinance requiring that homes built with city money be accessible to people with disabilities; he was also instrumental in the closing of the Howe Developmental Center in Tinley Park, advocating tirelessly for years to close the institution so its residents could have access to better living conditions; and

WHEREAS, Of the countless advocacy efforts Lester Pritchard led and the thousands of petitions he organized, each was committed to expanding access to community living options and empowering people with developmental disabilities; his work was instrumental in keeping the Lincoln Developmental Center closed; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard was appointed by Governor George Ryan to the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities in 1999; in 2004, Governor Rod Blagojevich appointed him to serve as Chairperson of the Council; as Chairperson of the Council, Mr. Pritchard spearheaded research studies and moved the Council toward a more central role in the development of progressive services for people with developmental disabilities; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard was regarded by many as a true visionary; he saw a society that fully accepted and included people with disabilities and he worked every day of his life to make that vision a reality; never shying away from adversity, he empowered hundreds of people with disabilities to map out their goals, become contributing members of society, and find fulfillment in life during his lifetime of advocacy; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard served as Vice-Chair on the Board of Champaign County Healthcare Consumers; he was a board member and board chair for P.A.C.E.; he served as a member of the Urbana Human Relations Commission for 16 years; he was a founding member of Citizens for HOMES, a group that advocates for fair and equal housing options for people with disabilities in Champaign-Urbana; he served as Chairperson of the Illinois Accessible Affordable Housing Task Force; he was also a member of the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois and the Disability Rights Action Coalition for Housing; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard was the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of his lifetime of dedicated service; he was the recipient of the 2008 American Bar Association's Paul G. Hearne Award for Disability Rights; he was given the 2007 James R. Burgess Sr. Humanitarian Award for furthering civil rights from the Champaign County Board; he was the recipient of the 2004 Illinois Justin Dart Distinguished Citizen Award from the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities; he was also the recipient of the Edward T. Roberts Excellence in Independent Living Award from the Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard was preceded in death by his parents; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard is survived by his wife, Barbara; his sister, Sarah (David) Nielsen; his brothers, Bill (Jennifer) Pritchard and John (Jane) Pritchard; his stepbrother, Christopher (Regina) Pritchard; and his many nieces and nephews; and

WHEREAS, Lester Pritchard will be remembered by all who knew and loved him as a stalwart advocate for the equal rights of people with disabilities whose dedication and integrity were unmatched; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Lester Thomas Pritchard; and be it further

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