SR0653 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0653 LRB103 35725 LAW 65805 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of James E. "Jim" Smith of Biggsville, who passed away on December 3, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Jim Smith was born to Loren J. and Mona F. Smith in McDonough County on February 3, 1929; he and his family lived in the Prairie City, Kirkwood, and Biggsville rural areas until they permanently moved to Biggsville when he was in grade school; he graduated from Biggsville High School in 1947, where he was the lead scorer for the basketball team his junior and senior years and a key player during the team's successful 1946-47 season with a record 25 wins and five losses; and

WHEREAS, Jim Smith began working at various jobs after completing high school, including in construction and as a salesman for the McCullough Lumber Company in Monmouth, until he was enlisted into the U.S. Army in 1951; he served as a member of the military police, attaining the civilian equivalent of police sergeant 1, and was stationed in Japan during the Korean War; he was honorably discharged in 1953; and

WHEREAS, Jim Smith married Vallie H. Ravenscraft on September 8, 1952; they began to raise their family while residing in Biggsville, where they lived until they moved to the Oak Lane Nursing and Rehab Center in Stronghurst in January 2022; and

WHEREAS, Jim Smith worked as a salesman, in general construction, and at Gale Products in Galesburg for 25 years before retiring as a janitor/preventative maintenance man at Union High School in 2004; and

WHEREAS, Jim Smith was a member of the Biggsville Presbyterian Church; throughout the years, he contributed his time towards helping the church in various capacities, including landscaping and repairs; he also served as a volunteer coach throughout the years that his sons, Lyle, Alan, and Stan, played on Little League and Pony League baseball teams; and

WHEREAS, Jim Smith was an avid gardener, bird watcher, and sportsman; he was a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Bears, and he supported all local athletic teams throughout his life; after retirement, he and Vallie enjoyed taking long weekend drives to attend flea markets and taking short trips to visit children, grandchildren, and other family members; and

WHEREAS, Jim Smith was preceded in death by his wife, Vallie Smith; his parents; his sisters, Katheryn Adair and Rosie Bushong; and his sons, Alan Smith and Stanley Smith; and

WHEREAS, Jim Smith is survived by his children, Brenda J. (Keith) Jones, Lyle J. (Carol) Smith, and Teresa M. (Kelvin) Echols; his sisters, Laura Marie Renwick and Margaret Patton; his brother, Robert (Betty) Smith; his grandchildren, Josh Meyer, Heather D. (Josh) Fuchs, Christian M. Walker, Max J. (Reiven) Echols, Grace C. Echols, and Stella R. Echols; eight great-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of James E. "Jim" Smith 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 Jim Smith as an expression of our deepest sympathy.