Full Text of SR0734 97th General Assembly
SR0734 97TH 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 William C. "Bill" Nichols of Decatur, who | 4 | | passed away on April 21, 2012; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, He was born October 2, 1927 in Baxter Springs, | 6 | | Kansas, the son of Claude and Beulah (Goff) Nichols; he felt | 7 | | God's call to ministry when he was a sophomore in high school | 8 | | and was ordained on August 1, 1948; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, He received his education from Culver Stockton, | 10 | | Phillips University Seminary, and the University of Chicago; he | 11 | | also received honorary degrees from Phillips University, | 12 | | Eureka College, Bethany College, and Chapman University; he | 13 | | gave named lectureships at several universities and | 14 | | seminaries; he was an Honorary Life Member of Phi Kappa Phi | 15 | | from Millikin University; he was elected to membership in the | 16 | | Theological Society for Faith and Reason and was listed in | 17 | | "Who's Who in America"; and | 18 | | WHEREAS, During his ministry he served the First Christian | 19 | | Church in Poteau, Oklahoma, the First Christian Church in | 20 | | Augusta, Kansas, and Central Christian Church in Kansas City, | 21 | | Kansas; in 1973, he moved to Decatur, where he served as Senior | 22 | | Minister at Central Christian Church for 19 years; in 1991, he |
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| 1 | | was elected to serve a term as General Minister and President | 2 | | of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United | 3 | | States and Canada; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Following his term as head of the denomination, he | 5 | | was called to serve as Senior Minster of National City | 6 | | Christian Church in Washington, D.C. for a 2-year term; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, He traveled extensively and was frequently called | 8 | | upon to represent the church in religious gatherings around the | 9 | | world; he preached and lectured in Canada, Nova Scotia, China, | 10 | | Cuba, Puerto Rico, several European nations, and Australia, | 11 | | where he preached for a month all over the country; he was | 12 | | elected Pastoral Counselor for the National Organization of | 13 | | Disciple Men at the opening night of "Session 76"; and | 14 | | WHEREAS, He served on boards which he often chaired for | 15 | | many church organizations: the Division of Global Missions, | 16 | | Homeland Ministries, the Council on Christian Unity, Church | 17 | | Extension, Higher Education, the National Benevolent | 18 | | Association, the Bilateral Council of American and Puerto Rican | 19 | | Churches, Colorado Christian Home, Kansas Christian Home, the | 20 | | Illinois Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, | 21 | | Kansas Churches, and the Disciples Historical Society; and | 22 | | WHEREAS, He was a founding board member of Decatur |
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| 1 | | Advantage and chaired the Quality of Life Task Force for 8 | 2 | | years; in this role, he became the Founding Father of the | 3 | | Decatur Celebration; every Sunday for 18 years, he broadcast a | 4 | | radio ministry on WSOY called "Good News from Central"; he | 5 | | served as board member or officer of many community boards as | 6 | | well, such as the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Kansas City, the | 7 | | Salvation Army, the Red Cross, St. Mary's Hospital, the Macon | 8 | | County Mental Health Association, and the Decatur Area Arts | 9 | | Council; and | 10 | | WHEREAS, He was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary | 11 | | International; with his friend, Howard Brown, he co-founded the | 12 | | ROMEO Men's Club; he was blessed with a warm personal | 13 | | relationship with Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, | 14 | | Bishop Shen of China, and other world leaders; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, He was a prolific writer, having published many | 16 | | articles, journals, and curricular materials; his interest in | 17 | | writing began in college where he was awarded the Vachel | 18 | | Lindsay Poetry Award; he authored 7 books; his last published | 19 | | work was an intriguing mystery, "If Gold Shall Rust"; and | 20 | | WHEREAS, He enjoyed music and played the piano beautifully; | 21 | | he composed 2 sacred anthems, one sacred solo, and one jazz | 22 | | "torch" song; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, He maintained that his smartest decision was to | 2 | | marry Claudine Shewmake in Baxter Springs, Kansas in 1945; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; and his | 4 | | brother, Robert; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, William Nichols is survived by his wife, Claudine; | 6 | | his son, David Nichols; his daughter Claudia Quigg; his | 7 | | daughter-in-law, Carol Nichols; his son-in-law Leo Quigg; his | 8 | | grandchildren, Maggie Nichols, Jesse Nichols (Jenny), Betsy | 9 | | Osman (Aaron), Michala Lynn (Adam), Sally McLemore (Nick), Noah | 10 | | Nichols, and Benjamin Quigg; and his great-grandchildren, | 11 | | Christian Bettis, Isabella Wagener, Charles Wagener, Mason | 12 | | Lynn, Reef Nichols, Lauren McLemore, Jane Osman, and Joslin | 13 | | McLemore; therefore, be it
| 14 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL | 15 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with | 16 | | his family and friends, the passing of William Nichols; and be | 17 | | it further
| 18 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 19 | | presented to the family of William Nichols as a symbol of our | 20 | | sincere sympathy.
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