Full Text of SR0147 096th General Assembly
SR0147 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 |
| learn of the death of Willard B. Black of Mesa, Arizona, | 4 |
| formerly of Danville, Illinois who passed away on March 5, 2009 | 5 |
| at his home is Mesa; and
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| WHEREAS, Willard B. Black was born on April 6, 1918 in | 7 |
| Normantown, Illinois, to Homer and Nina Black; and
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| WHEREAS, He had one brother, Earl Black; three sisters, | 9 |
| Donna McKinley, Marjorie Trent, and Betty Nield; and a | 10 |
| half-brother, Terry Black; and
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| WHEREAS, Mr. Black married Laura E. Murray on March 19, | 12 |
| 1938 and they raised two sons, State Representative William | 13 |
| (Sharon) Black and Robert (Jacki) Black of Danville; she | 14 |
| preceded him in death on June 20, 1968; he later married Helen | 15 |
| Louise Spinder in Peoria gaining two stepdaughters, Kathy | 16 |
| Speedy and Denia (Don) Zuch; together they had seven | 17 |
| grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; and | 18 |
| WHEREAS, Mr. Black became affectionately known as | 19 |
| "Blackie" by all who knew him; he attended Liberty and Franklin | 20 |
| grade schools, and graduated from Danville High School in 1936; | 21 |
| he worked at the Fischer, Lincoln and Palace theaters, Illinois |
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| Power Company, and at Automatic Engineering Company, a heating | 2 |
| business in Danville, which he owned in later years; and
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| WHEREAS, During World War II he served on the rationing | 4 |
| board of Vermilion County and later served in the United States | 5 |
| Army; and | 6 |
| WHEREAS, "Blackie" was very active in Danville civic and | 7 |
| fraternal organizations including: Vermilion County Board of | 8 |
| Supervisors, the Vermilion County Conservation District Board | 9 |
| Trustees, where he served as Treasurer, and President of the | 10 |
| Board during the construction of Lake Mingo, GAO Grotto where | 11 |
| he was a lifetime member and served as Chaplain, Olive Branch | 12 |
| Lodge, Ansar Shrine and Eastern Illinois Shrine Club, Danville | 13 |
| Elks Lodge, Chamber of Commerce State Director and Vice | 14 |
| President, and the Danville and Illinois Home Builders | 15 |
| Association, where he was a lifetime member; and | 16 |
| WHEREAS, He was active in the Boy Scouts of America for | 17 |
| over 30 years in Troop, Pack, and Council Levels; he assisted | 18 |
| in the renovation of buildings at Portland Arch and was | 19 |
| responsible for installing most of the water system serving the | 20 |
| campsites and buildings at Cherokee Hills Scout Camp; he also | 21 |
| led the project to rebuild the Service building that was | 22 |
| destroyed by fire; the Boy Scout Local Council awarded him the | 23 |
| Silver Beaver Medal and the Order of the Arrow; and |
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| WHEREAS, He worked diligently for Habitat for Humanity | 2 |
| while serving on the building committee at First Presbyterian | 3 |
| Church; and | 4 |
| WHEREAS, As a businessman he sponsored Little League and | 5 |
| Pony League baseball teams, and was active in the leadership | 6 |
| for youth; he was involved in several associations in the | 7 |
| Heating and Air Conditioning Industry and received many awards; | 8 |
| and | 9 |
| WHEREAS, He retired from Blackie's Automatic Engineering | 10 |
| Co. in 1982 as the owner and operator after 45 years; in his | 11 |
| later years he enjoyed an active retirement in both Arizona, | 12 |
| where he was a "Winter Member" of Central Christian Church of | 13 |
| Mesa, and in Danville's Ridgeview Baptist Church during summers | 14 |
| in Danville; and
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| WHEREAS, "Blackie" will be remembered by many for his | 16 |
| compassion for his fellow man by quietly assisting, supporting, | 17 |
| and providing assistance to many individuals who were fortunate | 18 |
| enough to cross his life's path; his unparalleled generosity | 19 |
| earned him widespread respect among those whose lives were | 20 |
| touched by his presence; his son, Bill, best summed up the life | 21 |
| his father led by stating "Our father was a remarkable man who | 22 |
| loved his family, his children, his grandchildren and |
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| great-grandchildren; he will be missed by all who knew him"; | 2 |
| therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL | 4 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with | 5 |
| his family and friends, the passing of Willard B. "Blackie" | 6 |
| Black; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 8 |
| presented to the family of Willard B. "Blackie" Black as a | 9 |
| symbol of our sincere sympathy.
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