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92_HR0799
LRB9216573RHrh
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Ralph Barger, the mayor and former State
3 representative who ushered Wheaton through some of its most
4 explosive growth, passed away on April 2, 2002; and
5 WHEREAS, Ralph Barger was born in Oak Park on January 24,
6 1923; he graduated from Glenbard West in 1941 and went into
7 the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he served in the European
8 theater during World War II; and
9 WHEREAS, Mr. Barger became mayor of Wheaton in 1971
10 amidst the controversial plans to build the 20-story Wheaton
11 Center apartment buildings near the downtown train station;
12 he went on to lead the city for 12 years as the Farnham,
13 Briarcliff, Scottdale, and Butterfield Ridge subdivisions, as
14 well as an addition to the library, the city's second fire
15 station and the new West Street commuter train station, were
16 built; the Danada property on the city's south side was also
17 annexed at the end of his tenure in 1982; and
18 WHEREAS, For his years as mayor, Mr. Barger is considered
19 one of the best mayors in the history of Wheaton; and
20 WHEREAS, Mr. Barger's rise to the Illinois House of
21 Representatives remains among the strangest political sagas
22 to date; he lost in the 1982 Republican primary by only 77
23 votes, after the death of his primary opponent, Kenneth Cole
24 was appointed to the vacancy; then Mr. Cole died, and Mr.
25 Barger was appointed to fill that vacancy; Mr. Barger served
26 in the House of Representatives from January 1983 until
27 January 1990; during his tenure in the General Assembly, he
28 served on the Committees on Aging, Consumer Protection,
29 Executive, Housing, Labor, Commerce, and served as minority
30 spokesman for the Cities and Villages Committee; and
31 WHEREAS, In addition to his public service, Mr. Barger
-2- LRB9216573RHrh
1 operated his own business, Grafic Foto, which he operated out
2 of his Wheaton home for 25 years; and
3 WHEREAS, Ralph Barger was a member of American Legion
4 Post #76 and served on the board of directors of Dieke
5 Center; in addition he was a Republican precinct captain and
6 a lifetime member of the Wheaton Lions Club; and
7 WHEREAS, Ralph Barger was the beloved husband of Beverly
8 Barger (nee Eaton); dear father of Ralph Hugh Barger, Susan
9 Donahue, Barbara (Donald) Schmitt, Cynthia Neeld, and Martha
10 Barger; loving grandfather of Jonathan and Jeffrey Barger,
11 Katherine Barger and James Schmitt; and fond brother of
12 Robert (Jane) Barger; therefore, be it
13 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
15 we mourn, along with all who knew him, the death of Ralph
16 Barger of Wheaton, Illinois; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18 presented to the family of Ralph Barger with our sincere
19 condolences.