HJ0089 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0089 LRB097 21615 GRL 69863 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Ken and Jackie Pickerill were united in marriage on August 16, 1953, in DeKalb; the couple spent 48 years together until Jackie's passing in 2001; and

WHEREAS, Ken Pickerill built the first baseball field at what is now Traughber Junior High School in 1956; years later, he funded several projects on the grounds of Oswego High School, including one of his proudest accomplishments, "Jackie's Field of Dreams", after his late wife, which is now home to the Oswego Cats and members of the American Amateur Baseball Congress; and

WHEREAS, Ken and Jackie Pickerill were both teachers at Oswego High School before opening the Jacqueline Shop in 1957 in downtown Oswego; Jackie left teaching after 1957 to work full-time in the store; and

WHEREAS, Following his retirement from teaching, Ken Pickerill continued to oversee Oswego athletics as Oswego High School's head baseball, wrestling, and football coach; he coached the Panthers to 3 undefeated seasons in a row between 1958 and 1960; from 1955 to 1969, he served as Oswego High School's Athletic Director; he was inducted into the Oswego High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Football Hall of Fame in 2000; and

WHEREAS, To honor his years of coaching and support of Oswego athletics, the Oswego High School Football Stadium was named Ken Pickerill Stadium in 2005; and

WHEREAS, Jackie Pickerill founded the well-known ladies fashion apparel store, Jacqueline Shop of Oswego in 1957; she was one of the founders and a past president of the Oswego Business Association; she was also highly regarded in the women's fashion industry and served as a board member of the Apparel Fashion Center in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Ken and Jackie Pickerill both individually and collectively contributed endless leadership, dedication, and support to the Oswego community and beyond; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the active bridge spanning the Fox River on Washington Street and Route 34 in Oswego as the Ken and Jackie Pickerill Commemorative Bridge in honor of their work; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with State and federal regulations, plaques or signs giving notice of the Ken and Jackie Pickerill Commemorative Bridge; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Secretary of Transportation and the Village of Oswego.