SR0678 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0678 LRB100 13250 MST 27684 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Clinton Charles "Kelly" Ireland of Greenville, who passed away on June 17, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Clinton Ireland was born in Fayette County to Charles and Rose Thompson Ireland on March 8, 1922; he married Lucille Pryor in St. Charles, Missouri on July 27, 1941 and they settled in St. Louis; and

WHEREAS, Clinton Ireland began working as a union steward at Curtiss-Wright when he enlisted in the United States Navy as a Seabee in June of 1943; he served in the European Theater (D-Day, plus 5) until December of 1945; while in Paris, he was chosen to be the driver for General Dwight Eisenhower while the general was visiting area hospitals; and

WHEREAS, Clinton Ireland returned to Sorento in 1945, where he owned and operated a Firestone store and garage; he attended Greenville College for two years before transferring to Southern Illinois University (SIU); he served as assistant shop teacher in their vocational shops; and

WHEREAS, Clinton Ireland served in the United States Naval Reserve at the Lambert Field Naval Air Station for two weeks when his unit was one of the first to be called into active duty for the Korean War; he served as an aviation mechanic as part of a fighter squadron aboard the aircraft carrier Tarawa; he was then transferred to a naval air station at Rhode Island, where he served as plane captain for Admiral Ruble for 18 months; upon discharge, he returned to SIU to complete his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education in 1954; he later completed his master's degree in education from the University of Illinois in 1957; and

WHEREAS, Clinton Ireland taught at East Alton-Wood River High School before coming to Greenville to introduce industrial arts at the Greenville Junior High School; he went on to teach general shop, metal-working, and wood-working at the high school; he later served as high school guidance counselor and Director of Vocational and Adult Education; his teaching career spanned a 25-year period; and

WHEREAS, Clinton Ireland served as a councilman for Greenville; he was elected as mayor in 1977 and served three terms; this was followed with two terms as a member of the city planning commission, and later, as a council member again; in all he served close to 35 years in city government; and

WHEREAS, Clinton Ireland was the recipient of the Greenville College Recognition Award in 1979, the Greenville Women's Club Service Award in 1993, and the Greenville Chamber of Commerce 2003 Gerald Turley Award; and

WHEREAS, Clinton Ireland was preceded in death by his daughter, Pamela Portell; his brothers, Wayne Ireland and Eugene Ireland; and his sisters, Bonnie Ireland, Marjorie Ireland, Fay Kistler, Helen Washburn, and Irene Eakin; and

WHEREAS, Clinton Ireland is survived by his wife, Lucille; his daughter, Sandra (Van Loyd); his grandchildren, Kelly Horton, Brent Portell, Cheri Lucco, Charlotte Sutton, and Virginia Kalotihos; and 11 great-grandchildren, Trammel and Katie Horton, Brock, Brodie, Rece, and Brylee Portell, Will Greenwald, Rachel (Dan) Cannoy, Hannah (Evan) Kelley, Laura Lucco, Christiana and Lena Kalotihos, and Jordan and Grace Shaw; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Clinton Charles "Kelly" Ireland, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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