Full Text of SR0819 95th General Assembly
SR0819 95TH 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
Dr. Gary Wayne Carstens of East Alton, | 4 |
| who passed away on August 4, 2008; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens was born June 2, 1943 in Alton; | 6 |
| he was the son of the late Damon and Ann (Mihalich) Carstens; | 7 |
| he married Sue (Chester) Carstens on July 22, 1961 in Wood | 8 |
| River; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens was raised in Wood River, | 10 |
| graduating from Wood River High School in 1961; he was employed | 11 |
| with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft and Avco Aerostructures as a | 12 |
| journeyman electrician and a numerical control agent and | 13 |
| machine tool specialist for eight years; and
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| WHEREAS, In 1968, Dr. Gary Carstens graduated from the FWB | 15 |
| Bible College in Nashville, Tennessee, receiving his | 16 |
| bachelor's degree in pastoral theology; in 1976, he received | 17 |
| his doctoral degree in theology; after graduating, he pastored | 18 |
| his first church in Denver, Colorado, later serving as pastor | 19 |
| in Elgin; he also served as Associate Pastor at the Bethel Free | 20 |
| Will Baptist Church in South Roxana; in 1974, Dr. Carstens | 21 |
| founded the New Testament Fellowship in Alton, serving as | 22 |
| senior pastor for 32 years until his semi-retirement in 2002; |
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| following his retirement, he started a successful home-based | 2 |
| travel business; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens was a devout fan of the St. | 4 |
| Louis Cardinals and was an avid reader; he also loved traveling | 5 |
| and spending time in Florida, walking the beaches with his wife | 6 |
| and family; he attained his own professional broadcasting | 7 |
| license and enjoyed amateur radio operating; he also wrote many | 8 |
| seminars and a book on ministerial ethics; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens was preceded in death by his | 10 |
| parents; his beloved father-in-law, Harry Ray Chester; and his | 11 |
| daughter, Mary Anna; and
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| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens is survived by his wife; his | 13 |
| three sons and two daughters-in-law, Rev. Daren W. Carstens and | 14 |
| his wife, Laura (Allen) Carstens, Christopher S. Carstens and | 15 |
| his wife, Mari Beth (McCarthy) Carstens, and Brian P. Carstens; | 16 |
| his beloved mother-in-law, Mary Grace (Bennet) Chester; his | 17 |
| sisters and brother-in-law, Raydine (Chester) Alexander and | 18 |
| her husband, Bill, and Kym (Chester) Brown; his grandchildren, | 19 |
| Tiffany, Cami, Amanda, Adam, Abigail, Joel, Tyler, Cassidy, | 20 |
| Brendan, Colton, Amber, and Ashley; and his great-grandsons, | 21 |
| Malaki and Xaden; and | 22 |
| WHEREAS, Dr. Gary Carstens will be remembered by all who |
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| knew and loved him as a compassionate and loving husband and | 2 |
| father who was dedicated to the passionate pursuit of The Lord | 3 |
| and His ministry; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL | 5 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with | 6 |
| his family and friends, the passing of Dr. Gary Wayne Carstens; | 7 |
| and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 9 |
| presented to the family of Dr. Gary Wayne Carstens as an | 10 |
| expression of our sympathy.
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