Full Text of SR0802 095th General Assembly
SR0802 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 Ralph David Lauridsen of Waukegan, who | 4 |
| passed away on May 1, 2008; and
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| WHEREAS, Ralph David Lauridsen was born in Dolton on March | 6 |
| 6, 1922, to Andrew and Emelia Lauridsen; he was educated at | 7 |
| Berger School and Thornton Township High School before joining | 8 |
| his father and brother in the home construction business; and
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| WHEREAS, Ralph joined the Sea Bees during World War II and | 10 |
| served three years in the 60th Sea Bee Construction Battalion; | 11 |
| his battalion serviced in the South Pacific, building airstrips | 12 |
| and bases in the dense rain forests of New Guinea; the entire | 13 |
| battalion received letters of commendation for clearing jungle | 14 |
| and building an airstrip in a record 13 days under torrential | 15 |
| rain; in the years following his service, Ralph continued to | 16 |
| see his Navy buddies at annual Sea Bee reunions, and his close | 17 |
| friendship with Lou Knau lasted his entire life; and
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| WHEREAS, After the war, Ralph returned to Dolton and | 19 |
| married Yvette Hill; A. Lauridsen and Sons Construction Company | 20 |
| flourished with the past-war demand for housing; over the | 21 |
| years, many beautiful homes and several apartment buildings, | 22 |
| and office buildings in the south suburban area were built by |
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| the Lauridsen company, which eventually came under Ralph's sole | 2 |
| proprietorship; Ralph had a spotless reputation for honesty and | 3 |
| hard work, and his customers knew that his handshake was the | 4 |
| best possible guarantee of a straight deal; and
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| WHEREAS, Ralph and Yvette raised their three girls in a | 6 |
| home Ralph built in Dolton, next door to the house in which he | 7 |
| grew up, built by his father; after an early retirement, Ralph | 8 |
| and Yvette traveled the world, making many trips to Europe and | 9 |
| several others to Africa, Asia, South America, and Australia; | 10 |
| they crossed the United States by car countless times, visiting | 11 |
| friends and relatives from coast to coast; he made wine, | 12 |
| experimenting with many different fruits and flowers; he | 13 |
| gardened and tended fruit trees; he was an active supporter of | 14 |
| his church, York House United Methodist, and belonged to the | 15 |
| local Danish club and Global Gourmet; and
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| WHEREAS, Ralph Lauridsen had a real zest for life, and an | 17 |
| optimism that sustained him through his last days; on Christmas | 18 |
| Day in 2007, he and his wife celebrated their 61st wedding | 19 |
| anniversary; in addition to Yvette, Ralph is survived by his | 20 |
| three daughters and their husbands; six granddaughters; one | 21 |
| grandson; and two great-granddaughters; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL | 23 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with |
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| his family and friends, the passing of Ralph Lauridsen; and be | 2 |
| it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 4 |
| presented to the family of Ralph Lauridsen as a symbol of our | 5 |
| sincere sympathy.
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