SR0802 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0802 LRB097 21801 KXB 70401 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of James J. Goodreau, who passed away on April 27, 2008; and

WHEREAS, He was born in Chicago on August 9, 1921, the son of the late Francis and Ethel Goodreau; he was the eldest of 4 children; as a young man in Chicago during the depression, he delivered telegrams by bicycle for Western Union; and

WHEREAS, He attended St. Ignatius High School in Chicago, where he excelled in sports; he attended Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, on a football scholarship; as a starting halfback in 1941, Xavier University went 9 and 1, losing only to Kentucky; and

WHEREAS, With the onset of World War II, he was drafted into the United States Army; he served in the Army Signal Corps and Army Air Corps; he was commissioned on April 1, 1942 as an April Fools lieutenant; he served in combat in the Pacific Theater on Guam, Tinian, Saipan, and Okinawa; he was awarded a Bronze Star for heroism; at the end of the war, he chose to remain on active duty as one of the first officers in the Air Force; and

WHEREAS, He served for 24 years with the Strategic Air Command; in his last 4 years of active duty, he served with the Military Assistance Advisor Group in China during the Vietnam War and finished his 28-year career with the Armed Forces Communications Service; during his career, he was awarded many medals and citations, including the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Joint Chief of Staff Commendation Medal; and

WHEREAS, He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh while on active duty; he was fluent in English and Spanish and had a working knowledge of Mandarin; in 1970, he retired from the Air Force and returned to Chicago, where he worked for Tropical Radio and Telegraph until he again retired in 1985; and

WHEREAS, After retiring, he served as a lector at St. Luke Church in River Forest and as a Eucharistic minister; he also volunteered at West Lake Hospital in Melrose Park; he and his beloved wife traveled the world together visiting many countries on 6 continents; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; and his sister, Kay Sullivan; his wife, Alice Suzanne Goodreau, passed away in 2011; and

WHEREAS, James Goodreau is survived by his 5 children, Alice Suzanne Meyers, (wife of Dr. Stephen), Dr. Joseph Francis Goodreau, (husband of Diane), Richard David Goodreau, Mary Elizabeth Anderson, (wife of Donald), and Dr. James J. Goodreau, (husband of Susan); his 9 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren; 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 James Goodreau; and be it further

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