SR1875 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1875 LRB100 22534 ALS 41432 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of John R. Foreman of Champaign, who passed away on June 30, 2018; and

WHEREAS, John Foreman was born in Decatur to Forrest and Susan Jenkins Foreman on September 3, 1952; he graduated from Atwood-Hammond High School in 1970; he married Sharon Koeberlein at St. Mary's Church in Pesotum on September 21, 1973; he graduated from the University of Illinois in 1977; and

WHEREAS, John Foreman began his career as a reporter at The News-Gazette in 1977; in quick succession, he was named night city editor, city editor, managing editor, and editor-in-chief; in 2003, he became publisher of The News-Gazette; and

WHEREAS, John Foreman was a distinguished journalist whose keen news judgment, outstanding writing and editing abilities, and passion for the truth were the engines that drove the newsroom to be consistently recognized as among the best in the state; he was a past chairman of the Illinois First Amendment Center and also served as president of the Illinois Press Association and the Illinois Associated Press Editors; he was a former chairman of the Mid-America Press Institute and "Project Sunshine," a Society of Professional Journalists project on access to government; he was the first recipient of the James C. Craven Award for Freedom of the Press from the Illinois Press Association and only the second recipient of the Illinois AP Editors Lincoln League of Journalists Award; in 2006, he was named the Illinois Journalist of the Year by the faculty at Northern Illinois University; and

WHEREAS, John Foreman loved his family, his dogs, his community, and The News-Gazette; he enjoyed restoring and collecting fountain pens and taking time to put pen to paper; he was a lifelong fan of the Chicago Cubs, as well as a fan of the Chicago Bears and the Fighting Illini; and

WHEREAS, John Foreman is survived by his wife, Sharon; his children, Shannon (Scott Smith) and Rob Foreman; his brother, Michael (Darlene) Stratman; and his sisters, Patricia (Maurice) Sefton and Maryan (Robert Smith) Sneed; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of John R. Foreman and extend our sincere condolences to his family, 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 John Foreman as an expression of our deepest sympathy.