HR0819 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0819 LRB098 20102 GRL 55371 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of W. Russell Withers, Jr. of Mt. Vernon, who passed away on January 24, 2014; and

WHEREAS, W. Russell Withers, Jr. was born on December 10, 1936 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; his parents were W.R. Withers, Sr. and Ruth H. Withers; and

WHEREAS, W. Russell Withers, Jr. was the founder of the Withers Broadcasting Companies; and

WHEREAS, W. Russell Withers, Jr. was a member of Mt. Vernon Masonic Lodge 31, Scottish Rites/Valley of Southern Illinois in Belleville, the Jefferson County Shrine Club of Mt. Vernon, and Shrine International - AINAD, AINAD Shrine Center, East St. Louis; he was a board member of the Mt. Vernon Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Mt. Vernon Industrial Development Commission; he was a board member and one of the founders of Crime Stoppers of Jefferson County; he served as chairman of the Mt. Vernon Airport Authority and the Illinois Public Airport Association; he was a board member and chairman of the radio board of the National Association of Broadcasters representing Illinois; he was a member of the executive committee and co-chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters Political Action Committee, a national trustee for the organization for the past 20 years, and a leading fundraiser for the organization; he was a member of the Congressional Relations Committee; he was a board member of the Library of American Broadcasting, the Associated Press Broadcast Board, SAGA Communications, and Redlands Water and Power; he was a member of the board of trustees at Lincoln Academy of Illinois in Springfield since 1993 and was elected as Regent by the board in 1998; he was an executive board member of the Boy Scouts of America for Western Colorado; he was also chairman of the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and a board member of the Radio Music License Committee; and

WHEREAS, W. Russell Withers, Jr. was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Mt. Vernon Citizen of the Year award, the Wally Jorgensen Award, the Broadcasters Foundation's 2003 American Broadcast Pioneer Award, the Illinois Broadcasters Association's Broadcaster of the Year award, the West Virginia Broadcasters Association's Broadcaster of the Year award, the Heritage Award from the Jefferson County African American Heritage Committee, the Southeast Missouri State University Alumni Merit Award, the Sigma Chi Fraternity Distinguished Significant Sig Award, and the Honor of Order of Lincoln, Illinois highest honor for professional accomplishments and public service; he was also listed in the Who's Who in Finance and Industry, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Entertainment, and Who's Who in the World; and

WHEREAS, W. Russell Withers, Jr. was preceded in death by his parents; and

WHEREAS, W. Russell Withers, Jr. is survived by his daughter, Dana R. Withers; his stepson, David Lister; his stepdaughters, Diana Lister and Celeste Hunt; his sister, Lindi W. Janes; and his brothers, Richard Kent Withers, James K. (Pam) Withers, and William J. (Victoria) Withers; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his family and friends, mourn the passing of W. Russell Withers, Jr.; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of W. Russell Withers, Jr. as an expression of our sympathy.