Full Text of SR1321 100th General Assembly
SR1321 100TH 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 Bennett James Williams of Litchfield, who | 4 | | passed away on January 20, 2018; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Bennett Williams was born in Harrisburg to Thomas | 6 | | and Marie (Maynard) Williams on February 13, 1925; he served as | 7 | | a Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943 to 1945 during | 8 | | World War II; he spent 16 months overseas and participated in | 9 | | air strikes in the Pacific Theater at the Solomon Islands, | 10 | | Bougainville, New Hebrides, and Samar; he was honorably | 11 | | discharged on November 16, 1945; he married Evanell Meler on | 12 | | April 2, 1946 and his family moved to Litchfield in 1955; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Bennett Williams was a lifelong coal miner; he | 14 | | worked at the Crown I Mine in Farmersville until it closed in | 15 | | 1971, and then went on to work at the Coffeen Mine until its | 16 | | closing in 1983; he was very active in the United Mine Workers | 17 | | of America (UMWA) for over 70 years, where he held offices and | 18 | | was most recently president of the political action committee, | 19 | | Compac; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Bennett Williams was very active in Democratic | 21 | | politics and assisted, chaired, co-chaired, and supported many | 22 | | political campaigns; he joined the American Legion in 1945, |
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| 1 | | where he served as commander, county commander, and vice | 2 | | commander finance officer, and was recently awarded a | 3 | | certificate for 70 years of continuous service; he was also a | 4 | | member of the Color Guard of Post #436, 40 et 8, VFW Post | 5 | | #3912, and the Prairieland Leathernecks; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Bennett Williams was an alderman for the City of | 7 | | Litchfield for 16 years from 1967 to 1983; he was mayor pro-tem | 8 | | for six months and chairman of the fire and lake departments; | 9 | | he was a member of the Economic Development Council for over 30 | 10 | | years and was an emeritus member; he also served as president | 11 | | of the Litchfield Red Cross Chapter for 10 years and | 12 | | coordinated blood drives with his wife; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, Bennett Williams was an avid outdoorsman and | 14 | | traveled all over the U.S. and Canada to hunt, fish, white | 15 | | water raft, and ski; he loved working on his garden, growing | 16 | | vegetables and flowers, and took great pride in his home and | 17 | | landscape; he was a member of the St. Timothy United Methodist | 18 | | Church, Litchfield Moose Lodge #1634, and Disabled American | 19 | | Veterans; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Bennett Williams was preceded in death by his | 21 | | parents and his wife of 63 years, Evanell; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, Bennett Williams is survived by his daughter, |
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| 1 | | Sandra Klein; his son, James Gregory (Susan) Williams; his | 2 | | grandchildren, Benjamin Colt Fletcher and Haley Marie | 3 | | Williams; his great-grandson, Thomas James Abner; and many | 4 | | nieces, nephews, and cousins; therefore, be it
| 5 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL | 6 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 7 | | Bennett James Williams, and extend our sincere condolences to | 8 | | his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | 9 | | further
| 10 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 11 | | presented to the family of Bennett Williams as an expression of | 12 | | our deepest sympathy.
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