Full Text of SR0946 97th General Assembly
SR0946 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are deeply | 3 | | saddened to learn of the death of Fred Abdula of Waukegan, who | 4 | | passed away on October 12, 2012; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Fred Abdula was born on August 22, 1925, in | 6 | | Waukegan to Joseph and Valda Abdula; he graduated from Waukegan | 7 | | Township High School in 1943; he served in the U.S. Marine | 8 | | Corps during World War II in the South Pacific and he earned | 9 | | his BSME from the University of Illinois; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Fred Abdula worked for Deep Freeze, Inc. and | 11 | | Johnson Motors in Waukegan; in 1955, he started his own | 12 | | business, Air Con Refrigeration and Heating, Inc.; he belonged | 13 | | to the Lake County Contractors Association and served as its | 14 | | president in 1973 and 1979; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Fred Abdula was elected to the board of directors | 16 | | at the Bank of Waukegan (NorStates Bank) in 1975; in 1982, he | 17 | | was elected chairman of the board and CEO; upon his retirement | 18 | | in 2011, the NorStates main facility on Lewis Avenue was | 19 | | designated The Honorary Fred Abdula Banking Center; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Fred Abdula's love for the community in which he | 21 | | lived and worked led him to become one of the prime people in |
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| 1 | | the refurbishment of the Genesee Theatre, serving on the board | 2 | | of directors since 1991; the Genesee Theatre stage was named in | 3 | | his honor; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Fred Abdula held many prestigious positions, such | 5 | | as director of the Waukegan/Lake County Chamber of Commerce, | 6 | | chairman of the First Federal Bank and CEO, member of the board | 7 | | of directors of the Waukegan Business Association, and member | 8 | | of the board of directors of Vista Health Systems; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, Fred Abdula and his wife had many philanthropic | 10 | | endeavors, including donations to the College of Lake County | 11 | | Foundation, resulting in the annual Abdula Scholarship, | 12 | | attempting to strengthen Israel's economy through the Israel | 13 | | Bond campaign, resulting in his winning the "Gates to | 14 | | Jerusalem" medal, and his donation of funds to purchase police | 15 | | dogs for the city of Waukegan; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Fred Abdula was involved in many service | 17 | | organizations, such as The United Way, the American Legion, | 18 | | Elks, Lions, Kiwanis, and Moose Clubs; he had many honors | 19 | | bestowed to him over the years, including CEO of the year by | 20 | | Financial World Magazine in 1993, Chicago Entrepreneurship | 21 | | Hall of Fame inductee in 2003, distinguished alumnus award by | 22 | | the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of | 23 | | Illinois in 2006, Patron of the Year-Waukegan Park District in |
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| 1 | | 2009, and grand marshal of Waukegan's American Independence | 2 | | Parade in 2011; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Fred Abdula is survived by his wife of 63 years, | 4 | | Anna Marie; his children, Linda (James) Considine, Patrick | 5 | | Abdula, Michael Abdula, and Lisa Abdula; his sister, Marlene | 6 | | Hunt; and many adoring nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
| 7 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL | 8 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 9 | | Fred Abdula, and we extend our sincere condolences to his | 10 | | family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | 11 | | further
| 12 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 13 | | presented to the family of Fred Abdula as an expression of our | 14 | | deepest sympathy.
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