093_SR0117
LRB093 11387 HSS 13851 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 Vennard
4 Sylvester Dowd of Moweaqua on Saturday, March 22, 2003; and
5 WHEREAS, Mr. Dowd was born on October 20, 1936 in
6 Moweaqua to Bennard S. and Louise Morris Dowd; he married
7 Helen Joan Logan on January 5, 1958 in Hernando, Mississippi;
8 she preceded him in death on December 19, 1979; he married
9 Norma Jordan Saddoris on July 3, 1981 in Assumption; and
10 WHEREAS, Mr. Dowd had been serving his second term as
11 mayor of the village of Moweaqua; he was first elected in
12 1997; he had also served on the village council; he will be
13 remembered as a progressive leader and a loving family man;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, Mayor Dowd was an avid golfer and played four to
16 five times a week; one of his main accomplishments as mayor
17 was his work on the 80-acre, $2 million project to expand the
18 Moweaqua Golf Course from nine holes to 18 holes; he was
19 instrumental in getting the municipal bonds issued for the
20 project; he was also known for beautifying Moweaqua with
21 projects such as the Wayside Park, built on an empty lot
22 downtown; he was a sports fan, and was especially proud to be
23 a Central A&M High School Raiders fan; and
24 WHEREAS, Mayor Dowd was a charter member of Grace Baptist
25 Church where he served as deacon, church treasurer, and
26 Sunday school teacher; he retired in 1992 from Wagner
27 Castings Co., where he was a shipping foreman for 37 years;
28 he and his wife were owners of the Dowd House Bed and
29 Breakfast; and
30 WHEREAS, The passing of Mayor Dowd has been deeply felt
31 by many, especially his wife, Norma; his children, Tim and
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1 wife Kathy, Brian and wife Amy, Keith and wife Delores, Beth
2 Snider and husband Jeff, Lisa Wiseman and husband Jerry, Kim
3 Hennings and husband Kevan, and Todd Saddoris and wife
4 Rayann; his mother, Louise Morris Dowd; and his
5 grandchildren, Erika Dowd, Colin Dowd, Patrick Dowd, Hollie
6 Fore, Chase Fore, Jennifer Dowd, Charles Dowd, Catrice Dowd,
7 James Dowd, Rachel Dowd, Nicholas and Trenton Wiseman, Darin,
8 Scott, Brice, and Kaley Hennings, and Jared, Drake, and
9 Justin Saddoris; therefore, be it
10 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
11 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing
12 of Mayor Vennard Sylvester Dowd and extend our sincere
13 condolences to his friends, family, community, and all who
14 knew and loved him; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16 presented to the family of Vennard Dowd as a token of our
17 deepest sympathy.