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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened 
3to learn of the death of Kenneth "Ken" Ritzert; and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, Ken Ritzert was raised in Naperville and

5graduated from Naperville High School and North Central 
6College; he  served
in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and 
7was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska; he was
part of the USO 
8during this time and made numerous trips to bases around the 
9state,
including in the Arctic Circle; he returned to Illinois 
10and continued his education at Northern Illinois
University 
11and the University of Illinois; he settled  his family in 
12Darien in 1968; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, Ken Ritzert was employed as a social studies 
14teacher at Blackhawk Jr.
High School in Bensenville, where he 
15helped to shape the minds of thousands of
students for over 30 
16years; he wrote and directed plays at the school, conducted

17legendary Constitutional Conventions, and received teaching 
18awards, including the Valley
Forge Freedom Foundations Award; 
19he worked at the family sand and gravel business,
Ritzert 
20Materials Inc., during the summers; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, Ken Ritzert served as the Downers Grove Township 
22Republican Precinct Committeeman in
Precinct 66 for 40 years; 
 
 
SR0160- 2 -LRB102 17648 MST 23446 r

1he had an outstanding singing
voice that radiated across the 
2many countries and continents to which he traveled; he 
3performed in
operas, was a member of the Joyful Voices Choir, 
4and was the long time cantor at the
masses at Our Lady of Peace 
5Church in Darien; and
  
 
  
6    WHEREAS, Ken Ritzert was the beloved husband of 61 years 
7of Joan (Kanikula)
Ritzert; the dear father of John 
8(deceased), William, and Edward (Lori) Ritzert;
and the adored 
9grandfather of  Matthew Ritzert; therefore, be it
  
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL 
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of 
12Kenneth "Ken" Ritzert and extend our sincere condolences to 
13his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it 
14further
  
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
16presented to  the family of  Ken Ritzert as an expression of our 
17deepest sympathy.