093_SR0051
LRB093 10961 HSS 11539 r
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of
3 Illinois were saddened to learn of the death of Leo Leonard
4 Gedvilas of Naperville on Sunday, January 26, 2003; and
5 WHEREAS, Mr. Gedvilas grew up in Spring Valley; he
6 graduated from Hall High School, in Spring Valley in 1941,
7 where he played football and was captain of the varsity
8 basketball team; and
9 WHEREAS, He attended George Washington University, but
10 scarlet fever sent him home prior to the end of his freshman
11 year; he went on to receive his bachelor's degree in 1946 and
12 a master's degree in 1947, both in physical education, from
13 the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; he lettered
14 in basketball and baseball; and
15 WHEREAS, Mr. Gedvilas began work at the University of
16 Illinois at Navy Pier, which later became the University of
17 Illinois at Chicago, as a physical education instructor; he
18 worked at UIC for 39 years and held a number of positions
19 including assistant dean of the physical education
20 department; he retired in 1987; and
21 WHEREAS, Mr. Gedvilas was the basketball coach from 1947
22 to 1958 and had the distinction of being the first basketball
23 coach at UIC; he holds the record for the highest basketball
24 winning percentage for the school, .560, with a record of 102
25 wins and 80 losses; he was known as a straightforward coach
26 who often served as a surrogate father to his students; and
27 WHEREAS, In his retirement, Mr. Gedvilas served as
28 membership chairman for the UIC chapter of the State
29 Universities Annuitants Association from 1990 to 1991; he was
30 an active member of Saints Peter and Paul Church in
31 Naperville, serving as a religious education teacher and as a
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1 member of the bingo committee and the Knights of Columbus;
2 and
3 WHEREAS, The passing of Mr. Gedvilas has been deeply felt
4 by many, especially his wife, Darlene; his sons, Andy, Tom,
5 Larry, Joe, John, and Bob; his daughter, Mary Ellen Butz; his
6 sister, Louise Urbanski; and his 18 grandchildren; therefore,
7 be it
8 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
9 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing
10 of Leo Leonard Gedvilas and offer his family and friends our
11 sincerest condolences; and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13 presented to the family of Leo Leonard Gedvilas as an
14 expression of our deepest sympathy.