Full Text of SR0545 101st General Assembly
SR0545 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 | | learn of the death of Kermit L. Harden Jr. of Urbana, who | 4 | | passed away on June 19, 2019; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Kermit Harden Jr. was born in Maquon to Hazel | 6 | | (Martin) and Kermit A. Harden Sr. on October 26, 1924; he | 7 | | graduated from Fairview High School and began undergraduate | 8 | | studies in mathematics at the University of Illinois, where he | 9 | | earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Education in | 10 | | 1945; he received his master's degree in education from Bradley | 11 | | University in 1952; he married Harriet Ann Harden on June 6, | 12 | | 1959; he earned his doctorate in education from the University | 13 | | of Illinois in 1972; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Kermit Harden Jr. was a decorated veteran of World | 15 | | War II; he served in the 94th Infantry Division and received | 16 | | four Battle Stars, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and | 17 | | Central Europe; his company was captured by the Germans in | 18 | | October 1944, and he was held as a Prisoner of War for 45 days | 19 | | before being included in the first prisoner exchange of the | 20 | | war; he returned to active combat and received the Silver Star | 21 | | for Gallantry in Action in Germany, the Bronze Star at the | 22 | | Battle of the Bulge, and the Purple Heart in Northern France; | 23 | | for his service to the people of France, he was awarded the |
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| 1 | | Order of the Legion d'Honneur by the French Government; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Kermit Harden Jr. began his career in education as | 3 | | a math teacher in Havana; he served as the assistant principal | 4 | | of the American School in Paris, France before returning to | 5 | | Illinois to become assistant superintendent and later | 6 | | superintendent of Bethalto Community Schools; in 1968, he | 7 | | became assistant superintendent of Urbana schools and later | 8 | | served as superintendent from 1975 until 1983; after his | 9 | | retirement, he served as interim superintendent for many | 10 | | Central Illinois school districts and as a visiting professor | 11 | | of education at the University of Illinois; during retirement, | 12 | | he also worked as a licensed tax preparer and instructor for | 13 | | H&R Block for 25 years; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Kermit Harden Jr. was a tireless community | 15 | | volunteer; he was a faithful member of the First Presbyterian | 16 | | Church of Urbana, where he served as a trustee, Deacon, Session | 17 | | member, and Clerk of the Session; he was a two-time president | 18 | | of the Rotary Club of Bethalto and Urbana and served the Urbana | 19 | | club as secretary for 23 years; in 2013, he was named Rotarian | 20 | | of the Year; a generous contributor of time and money to worthy | 21 | | causes, he served as a board member for the Prairie Lands Boy | 22 | | Scout Council, the United Way, the Champaign County Board, and | 23 | | the March of Dimes; he was president of the Reading Group for | 24 | | nine years and chairman of the local Red Cross; he served as |
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| 1 | | president, secretary, and treasurer of the Urbana Free Library | 2 | | Board and was co-chairman, along with his wife, in the capital | 3 | | campaign to raise funds for the library's expansion in 2005; | 4 | | and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Kermit Harden Jr. was a loyal Illini fan and a | 6 | | 5-year season ticket holder for both basketball and football; | 7 | | he served as president of the University of Illinois Alumni | 8 | | Board; he was a past president of the College of Education | 9 | | Alumni Board and a member of the President's Council of the U | 10 | | of I Foundation; he was a volunteer track and field official | 11 | | for 20 years and a longtime member of the Illini Rebounders and | 12 | | Quarterback Clubs; he was a supporter of the Krannert Center | 13 | | for the Performing Arts through the Symphony Guild and enjoyed | 14 | | their many operatic and theatrical productions; he was a | 15 | | gourmet cook and an avid vegetable gardener and enjoyed gifting | 16 | | his produce to friends and family; in his spare time, he | 17 | | enjoyed traveling to Europe, attending Illini post-season | 18 | | sporting events, and spoiling his grandchildren; he will be | 19 | | remembered for the strength of his character and his great | 20 | | sense of humor; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, Kermit Harden Jr. was preceded in death by his | 22 | | siblings, Eldon (Dorothy) Harden, Gordon Harden, Norma Mae | 23 | | Harden, and Margaret Ann (George) Van Houten; and his | 24 | | grandchild, Paige Elizabeth Lunsford; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Kermit Harden Jr. is survived by his wife of 60 | 2 | | years, Harriett Ann Steinrauf Harden; his son, J. Andrew | 3 | | (Jackie) Harden; his daughter, Elizabeth Anne (Terry) | 4 | | Lunsford; and his five grandchildren; therefore, be it
| 5 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | 6 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 7 | | Kermit L. Harden Jr. and extend our sincere condolences to his | 8 | | family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | 9 | | further
| 10 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 11 | | presented to the family of Kermit Harden Jr. as an expression | 12 | | of our deepest sympathy.
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