SR0027 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0027 LRB102 10316 MST 15643 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Joseph William "Bill" Sharpe of Peoria, who passed on January 2, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Bill Sharpe was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Joseph William Sharpe and Elizabeth Roberts on February 20, 1938; he graduated from Bradley University in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, where he was president of the Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity and served on numerous boards and committees; he had the opportunity to work closely with Jack Brickhouse, organizing fundraisers in the Chicago area for the Bradley Athletic Department; he was also a member of the Bradley Scholarship Society; and

WHEREAS, Bill Sharpe first married Nancy Clayton, the mother of his three daughters; he then married Judith Brown, the mother of his son; he married Deborah Tilly in Italy in 2003; and

WHEREAS, After working at Caterpillar, Inc., Bill Sharpe founded Sharp Income Tax Service in December of 1969, which became the largest, single location tax office in the United States, preparing over 10,000 tax returns per year; subsequently, he owned and operated Total Income Tax Service and Sharp Payroll Service, retiring in May of 2016; and

WHEREAS, Bill Sharpe was an avid fan of the Chicago Cubs fan and was thrilled to see them win the World Series in 2016; he also loved reading, traveling, fine dining, and socializing; he will especially be remembered for his kind heart and generosity in both his business and personal life; and

WHEREAS, Bill Sharpe was preceded in death by his parents; his infant son, Russell; and his son-in-law, James Voelker; and

WHEREAS, Bill Sharpe is survived by his wife, Deborah; his second wife, Judith; his daughters, Cindy (George) Birkhold, Kelly Voelker, and Toni (Carl) Root; his son, Joseph William (Shelley) Sharpe III; his stepdaughter, Erica Pegues; his stepson, Troy (Betsy) Tilly; 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; his brother, Thomas (Carol) Sharpe; his sister, Susan (Kent) Currie; and family friend, Linda Nelson; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Joseph William "Bill" Sharpe 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 Bill Sharpe as an expression of our deepest sympathy.