Full Text of SR0122 102nd General Assembly
SR0122 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | 3 | | to learn of the death of Mary Ella Works Freiburg, Ph.D., who | 4 | | passed away on February 10, 2021; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Freiburg was born in Humboldt, Kansas to | 6 | | Clark and Leota Works on December 5, 1926; she earned her | 7 | | Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from the College | 8 | | of Emporia in Kansas in 1948; she obtained her Master of | 9 | | Science in Zoology from the University of Kansas in 1950, | 10 | | where she was the only female in her biology class; she married | 11 | | Richard Freiburg in Humboldt on November 20, 1950; she | 12 | | completed her Ph.D. at the University of Missouri-Columbia in | 13 | | 1971; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Freiburg was a scientist, educator, professor | 15 | | emerita, and former chair of the Biology Department at | 16 | | MacMurray College in Jacksonville; she started her career at | 17 | | MacMurray College teaching part-time in 1957 while caring for | 18 | | four children and working on her Ph.D.; she taught anatomy and | 19 | | physiology, introductory biology, and many other courses; she | 20 | | was known by scores of elementary education teachers for her | 21 | | "kiddie bio" class, where she taught them how to impart a love | 22 | | for biology to young learners; she loved teaching and took | 23 | | great pride in the accomplishments of her students, many of |
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| 1 | | whom became doctors, vets, dentists, nurses, and science | 2 | | teachers; she and her husband, a fellow professor, were | 3 | | lovingly referred to by students as "Ma & Pa Freiburg"; she | 4 | | served MacMurray College with distinction for 34 years, | 5 | | retiring as professor emerita of biology in 1991; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Alongside her husband, she enjoyed attending | 7 | | homecoming events at MacMurray College to reconnect with | 8 | | former students and faculty and traveling; together, they took | 9 | | 25 trips overseas for summer research projects and pleasure, | 10 | | with destinations including London, the Netherlands, the | 11 | | Galapagos Islands, Australia, Kenya, and Scotland; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Freiburg had a number of interests; she loved | 13 | | working with gourds and used them to make beautiful artwork, | 14 | | and she attended meetings and classes throughout the Midwest | 15 | | held by the Illinois Gourd Society; most recently, she enjoyed | 16 | | reading books about almost any topic, keeping up with what | 17 | | everyone in the family was doing, and talking about movies, | 18 | | politics, gourds, her childhood in Kansas, books, and many | 19 | | other topics; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Freiburg was known as a resilient, | 21 | | independent person; she knew how to make others feel | 22 | | appreciated and taught with style and passion, wearing pearls | 23 | | while conducting dissections; she was an inspiration and will |
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| 1 | | be sorely missed; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Freiburg was preceded in death by her husband | 3 | | of over 68 years, Richard Freiburg, and her three brothers, | 4 | | Bruce Works (Marcia), Paul Works (Barbara), and Clark Works | 5 | | Jr.; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Freiburg is survived by children, Ann (Gil) | 7 | | Opferman, Stuart (Emie) Freiburg, Jeanne Freiburg (Matt | 8 | | Bogenschultz), and Jane (Jim) Nickerson; her grandchildren, | 9 | | Sara Artega, Nathaniel Opferman, Eli Freiburg, Emily Opferman, | 10 | | Mary Ellen Nickerson, Molly Nickerson, Will Bogenschultz, Mary | 11 | | Freiburg, and Laura Freiburg; and her great-grandchildren, | 12 | | Alex and Isabella Artega; therefore, be it
| 13 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL | 14 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 15 | | Mary Ella Works Freiburg, Ph.D., and extend our sincere | 16 | | condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved | 17 | | her; and be it further
| 18 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 19 | | presented to the family of Dr. Freiburg as an expression of our | 20 | | deepest sympathy.
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