Full Text of SR0475 101st General Assembly
SR0475 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 Joanna Bernadine Vanni on January 8, 2019 | 4 | | at the age of 87; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Joanna Vanni was born to Frank and Mary | 6 | | Breckenridge Kirchgessner in Metamora; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Joanna Vanni was a graduate of the Metamora High | 8 | | School Class of 1948 and Rosary College, now Dominican | 9 | | University, Class of 1952; she completed master's level | 10 | | coursework at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago; in | 11 | | 1954, she married Steno Vanni at St. Mary's Church in Metamora; | 12 | | and | 13 | | WHEREAS, Joanna Vanni was a talented pianist and organist | 14 | | who worked as a church organist in the Oak Park and River | 15 | | Forest communities her entire adult life, including 33 years at | 16 | | St. Vincent Ferrer, followed by time at St. Giles Church, | 17 | | Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church, and River Forest United | 18 | | Methodist Church, from which she retired in 2016; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Joanna Vanni was, for many people, "a part of | 20 | | special events in our lives such as weddings, baptisms, | 21 | | concerts and special activities"; her music touched people; |
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| 1 | | often, her audience clapped their hands as she played a fast | 2 | | and upbeat piece, and many were deeply moved by the spiritual | 3 | | classic music she played; she was always willing to share her | 4 | | special gift of music; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, Joanna Vanni was a lifelong lover and supporter of | 6 | | the arts as a member of the Art Institute of Chicago, the | 7 | | Chicago Architectural Foundation, and the Guild of American | 8 | | Organists; she also was a season ticket holder to the Chicago | 9 | | Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera, and the Joffrey Ballet for | 10 | | decades; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Joanna Vanni loved animals and donated generously | 12 | | to numerous animal rescue organizations; she was known to spoil | 13 | | her "granddogs" and "grandkitties" with reckless abandon, | 14 | | happily noting that she could do so because they did not have | 15 | | to grow up to be responsible adults; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, In addition to her musical endeavors, Joanna Vanni | 17 | | worked full time as an insurance claims administrator for | 18 | | Employers Insurance of Wausau for 23 years, where she formed | 19 | | lifelong friendships with many of her co-workers; she often | 20 | | commuted to work by bicycle rather than drive in busy Oak Park | 21 | | traffic; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, Joanna Vanni, in her retirement years, traveled |
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| 1 | | extensively in the United States and Europe; she particularly | 2 | | enjoyed visiting many of the great cathedrals in Europe, taking | 3 | | special notice of their organs along the way; as a devout | 4 | | Catholic, these trips fulfilled her both spiritually and | 5 | | musically; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Joanna Vanni was preceded in death by her loving | 7 | | husband, Steno; her daughter, Sylvia Candela; and her siblings, | 8 | | Fr. Julius Kirchgessner, Gene Elbert, Albert Kirchgessner, and | 9 | | Isabel and Anna Belle Kirchgessner; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Joanna Vanni is survived by her children, Paul | 11 | | Vanni, Bill Vanni (Lori), Jim Vanni (Julie), and Jane | 12 | | Vanni-Noone (Kevin); and her grandchildren Chrissy (Ben), | 13 | | Stanley, and Aidan; therefore, be it
| 14 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | 15 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 16 | | Joanna Bernadine Vanni and extend our sincere condolences to | 17 | | her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it | 18 | | further
| 19 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 20 | | presented to the family of Joanna Vanni as an expression of our | 21 | | deepest sympathy.
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