SR0257 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0257 LRB097 12153 GRL 56258 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Howard Rosset Conant Sr.; and

WHEREAS, Howard Conant Sr. was born in Chicago in 1924; he was a graduate of Von Steuben High School; and

WHEREAS, Howard Conant Sr. served his country with pride and distinction as a Japanese interpreter in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946 before earning his bachelor's degree from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, Howard Conant Sr. founded Interstate Steel Company, a steel service center, in Des Plaines in 1946 while he was still a university student; he also served as president of the Elliott Paint Company; when Elliott was acquired by the Valspar Corporation, he became a director at Valspar; and

WHEREAS, Howard Conant Sr. was an avid tennis player, continuing to play singles and doubles tournaments until he was 85; in 2009 and 2010, he was a ranked #1 in singles by the Chicago District Tennis Association in the 80 and over division; he also loved books and his classes at Northwestern University's Learning in Retirement Program; and

WHEREAS, Howard Conant Sr. was a director of Facets Multimedia for over 30 years; he was also a founding member in the Business Executives Move for Vietnam Peace and an active peace advocate throughout his life; and

WHEREAS, Howard Conant Sr. was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Doris Lawson; and

WHEREAS, Howard Conant Sr. is survived by his children, Alison Conant (Rick Frank), Howard Jr. (Pam Rahmann) and Meredith George, and his grandchildren, Sarah and Andy Frank, Rachel and Sophie Conant, and Madelyn, Monica, and Mason George; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Howard Rosset Conant Sr.; and be it further

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