Full Text of HR0873 103rd General Assembly
HR0873 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | | | HR0873 | | LRB103 41749 MST 74970 r |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION | 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of James M. | 4 | | "Jim" Kelly Sr., who passed away on May 30, 2024; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly, a World War II veteran and Urbana | 6 | | firefighter, gave his entire life to public service for his | 7 | | local community and county; and | 8 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly, one of nine children, was born to | 9 | | Timothy Milton Kelly and Ruth Blythe Frazier Kelly in Findlay | 10 | | on December 29, 1921; the family moved to Urbana in 1925; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly graduated from Urbana High School in | 12 | | 1940 and started working for the P & E Railroad Company; | 13 | | however, with the United States' entry into World War II in | 14 | | 1941, he immediately registered for the draft but was denied | 15 | | due to his job being declared essential; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly petitioned the railroad company to | 17 | | release him multiple times throughout the war, and on January | 18 | | 1, 1944, he was officially released and eligible to register | 19 | | for the draft, which he gladly did; and | 20 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly married his high school sweetheart, |
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| 1 | | Leila Mae Roughton, on July 8, 1944 in Los Angeles, California | 2 | | prior to beginning his service; and | 3 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly affectionately called Leila his "Rosie | 4 | | the Riveter" because she worked on the assembly line | 5 | | manufacturing airplanes to be used in the war while waiting | 6 | | for him to return home; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly joined the United States Marine Corps | 8 | | and was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, where he was | 9 | | assigned to the Fifth Service Battalion, 28th Marine Regiment | 10 | | of the 5th Marine Division, with the next stop being the Battle | 11 | | of Iwo Jima; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly fought valiantly for his country for | 13 | | the entire 36-day battle; he sadly lost his close friend and | 14 | | fellow Urbana High School classmate, Richard L. Pittman, on | 15 | | February 21, 1945 and three of his service battalion buddies | 16 | | in the battle when they were hit by a mortar round as the four | 17 | | of them were delivering ammunitions and supplies to the front; | 18 | | and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly returned home to Urbana on May 10, 1946 | 20 | | and began his career and family, welcoming a daughter, Cheryl | 21 | | Ann "CJ" Johnson, and a son, James Milton Kelly II; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly and Leila retired and eventually became | 2 | | snowbirds, staying in the Tropic Isles Mobile Home Park in | 3 | | Palmetto, Florida from November to April; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly's fondest memories throughout his life | 5 | | were caddying for Horton Smith, the first Master's champion, | 6 | | in 1932, and getting a beer from his favorite actor, John | 7 | | Wayne, at Laguna Beach, California; and | 8 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly was a strong supporter of the World War | 9 | | II Memorial in Washington, D.C. and The National World War II | 10 | | Museum in New Orleans and a lifetime member of the VFW, | 11 | | American Legion, Masons, and the Marine Corps League; he also | 12 | | belonged to the Elks Club for 40 years; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly has been recognized for various | 14 | | accomplishments by State Senator Stan Weaver, U.S. | 15 | | Representative Tim Johnson, Governor Dwight Green, Governor | 16 | | James Thompson, Governor George Ryan, Secretary of State Jesse | 17 | | White, President Donald Trump, and President Joe Biden; and | 18 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly was preceded in death by his wife of 66 | 19 | | years, Leila; his parents; his brothers, Elston Ward, Walter | 20 | | Kendall, Paul Tyrus, and Robert Walker; his sisters, Ola | 21 | | Margorine, Ione Imogene, Eleanor Ruth, and Marjoorie Geneese; | 22 | | his son-in-law, Ken Johnson; and his daughter in-law, Anita |
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| 1 | | Morris; and | 2 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly is survived by his children, Cheryl Ann | 3 | | "CJ" Johnson and James Milton Kelly II; his grandchildren, | 4 | | Kelly (Eric) Johnson, Kevin (Brandon) Bowersox-Johnson, Jaime | 5 | | Hagg, and Kathrine (Erik) Hagerman; and his | 6 | | great-grandchildren, Abigayl, Parker, Bryce, Samantha, | 7 | | Garrett, Aneela, and Erik Jr.; and | 8 | | WHEREAS, Jim Kelly's service and dedication will be | 9 | | remembered by all who knew and loved him as we sadly lose | 10 | | another hero from the World War II generation; therefore, be | 11 | | it | 12 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 13 | | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 14 | | we mourn the passing of James M. "Jim" Kelly Sr. and extend our | 15 | | sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew | 16 | | and loved him; and be it further | 17 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 18 | | presented to the family of Jim Kelly as an expression of our | 19 | | deepest sympathy. |
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