HJ0091 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0091 LRB099 13255 GRL 37166 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives were saddened to learn of the death of our esteemed colleague Henry Woods Bowman of Evanston, also known as H. Woods Bowman, and even more commonly known as Woody; and

WHEREAS, Woody was killed on July 10, 2015 in a tragic automobile accident in Michigan; and

WHEREAS, Woody grew up in Charleston, West Virginia, and came to Chicago to serve as a research economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; he then became an assistant professor of economics at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and

WHEREAS, With a strong desire to help solve challenges facing the State and its people, Woody won election to the Illinois General Assembly in 1976; he represented the 18th Representative District, serving Evanston and its environs, from 1977 to 1990; and

WHEREAS, Between 1983 and 1990, Woody chaired the House Appropriations II Committee; as an expert budget negotiator, he brought transparency, accountability, and reform to the budget process; and

WHEREAS, During his tenure in the Legislature, Woody was a strong advocate for human services and education, he fought for civil rights and civil liberties; he pressed for more State support for the most vulnerable Illinois residents and the mentally ill; he earned the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle for his steady commitment to his convictions, his compassion for others, and his integrity; and

WHEREAS, Following his service in the Illinois House of Representatives, Woody served as the chief financial officer of Cook County; he then returned to teaching as a member of the faculty of DePaul University's School of Public Service until his recent retirement; and

WHEREAS, Before, during, and after his service in elective office, Woody was a highly respected political observer and adviser, devoting himself to supporting like-minded candidates and counseling elected officials throughout his life; and

WHEREAS, Woody was interested in economics, finance, and ethics; he received bachelor's degrees in physics and economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master's degree in public administration and a doctorate in economics from Syracuse University; and

WHEREAS, Woody's book, "Finance Fundamentals for Nonprofits: Building Capacity and Sustainability", received the 2013 Hodgkinson Research Prize from the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA); he also authored, co-authored, and refereed numerous peer-reviewed articles, including "Issues in Nonprofit Finance Research: Surplus, Endowment, and Endowment Portfolios"; and

WHEREAS, Woody was married to his wife, Michele Thompson, for nearly 30 years; the couple met after Michele testified at a legislative hearing on behalf of the University of Illinois, where she served as Assistant Vice Chancellor for academic affairs and later as Secretary to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees; in their retirement, Woody and Michele enjoyed music, theater, art, foreign languages, and travel; and

WHEREAS, H. Woods Bowman will long be remembered for his generosity, his political independence, his willingness to help others, and his work to improve lives; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we mourn the passing of H. Woods Bowman and extend our sincere condolences to Michele and all his family, his friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of H. Woods Bowman as an expression of our deepest sympathy.