Full Text of SR0412 102nd General Assembly
SR0412 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | SR0412 | | LRB102 19012 MST 27740 r |
|
| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | 3 | | to learn of the death of The Reverend Dr. Randall Lee "Randy" | 4 | | Saxon of East Peoria, who passed away on June 12, 2021; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon was born in Waverly, New York to | 6 | | Sherm and Velma Saxon on October 28, 1947 and raised in Athens, | 7 | | New York; he received a Bachelor of Arts in English from | 8 | | Mansfield University, a Master of Divinity from Princeton | 9 | | Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Drew | 10 | | University; twice, he was invited to study at Oxford | 11 | | University in England and completed their Summer Religious | 12 | | Studies Program; he also earned certifications as a Master | 13 | | Gardener and Master Naturalist from the University of | 14 | | Illinois-Extension; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon served in the ministry for 40 years; | 16 | | he served at churches in Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, and in | 17 | | Wilmette; he also served at First Presbyterian Church of | 18 | | Peoria and retired as Pastor Emeritus of United Presbyterian | 19 | | Church in Peoria; he co-founded the United Presbyterian Church | 20 | | in Peoria; and
| 21 | | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon taught philosophy at Illinois Central | 22 | | College and over 40 classes for the Bradley University Osher |
| | | SR0412 | - 2 - | LRB102 19012 MST 27740 r |
|
| 1 | | Life Long Learning program; he led programs and was a guest | 2 | | speaker on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War throughout the | 3 | | nation; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon was an active Mason and Rotarian who | 5 | | was thrice named a Paul Harris Fellow; he achieved the rank of | 6 | | Eagle Scout in his youth and continued to serve the Boy Scouts | 7 | | of America as a troop leader, commissioner, and council | 8 | | representative; he was a chaplain at the Ingersoll Rand Boy | 9 | | Scout Camp; he served as the President of the Illinois State | 10 | | Historical Society and as a docent for the Abraham Lincoln | 11 | | Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield; he spearheaded | 12 | | the drive to erect a statue of Lincoln in Peoria at the | 13 | | courthouse site of his famous 1854 speech against the spread | 14 | | of slavery; and | 15 | | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon received numerous awards and | 16 | | recognitions; he was proud to receive an Alumni Citation from | 17 | | his alma mater, Mansfield University, for civic and | 18 | | philanthropic work and honors from the Shinnecock Indian Tribe | 19 | | in New York for his mediation; and | 20 | | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon could often be found outside tending | 21 | | to his garden or the church garden or just out hiking and | 22 | | observing wildlife; he enjoyed spending time volunteering in | 23 | | his community in a wide variety of roles; he had a gentle soul |
| | | SR0412 | - 3 - | LRB102 19012 MST 27740 r |
|
| 1 | | and a sharp, quick wit; he could always be counted on for a | 2 | | warm smile, a corny pun, or a random, little-known fact; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon was preceded in death by his parents | 4 | | and his stepmother, Betty Saxon; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon is survived by his wife, Anna; his | 6 | | children, Heather (John) Blase, David (Dawn) Saxon, Jennifer | 7 | | (Josh) Friedman, and Austin (Michelle Greenslate) Saxon; his | 8 | | brothers, Jimmy, Kevin, and Shawn Saxon; his sisters, Peg | 9 | | Arnold and Nancy Brown; and his grandchildren, Teslyn, | 10 | | Rhiannon, Riley, Aaliyah, Saxon, Lizzie, and Jupiter; | 11 | | therefore, be it
| 12 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL | 13 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 14 | | The Reverend Dr. Randall Lee Saxon of East Peoria and extend | 15 | | our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who | 16 | | knew and loved him; and be it further
| 17 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 18 | | presented to the family of Randy Saxon as an expression of our | 19 | | deepest sympathy.
|
|