SR0550 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0550 LRB093 22090 KEF 50662 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois were saddened to learn of the untimely passing of Virgil P. Vergara on February 1, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Virgil P. Vergara is the eldest, loving son of the late Cecilio and Julieta Vergara; he was born in Ibaan, Batangas, Philippines on March 31, 1945, and was raised in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Vergara was an intelligent and charismatic individual who consistently excelled in his academic performance; he was an award-winning debater and orator and was well-known for his magnetic personality; and

WHEREAS, He attended the University of Santo Thomas in Manila, Philippines, graduating summa cum laude from the College of Commerce with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration on June 30, 1964, further achieving the distinction of becoming a Certified Public Accountant on February 17, 1966; he worked for several years as an auditor and accountant for numerous companies in the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, At the age of 26, he was the first member of his family to immigrate to the United States from the Philippines arriving in Chicago to begin his new life in pursuit of greater opportunities for himself and his family; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Vergara met his future wife, Maria "Sunny", the only daughter of the late Veremundo M. and Lydia T. Magno in Chicago; the couple was married on March 30, 1974 at St. Francis Xavier Church (now Resurrection Parish) in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, On May 24, 1977, Mr. Vergara took his oath of U.S. citizenship and became naturalized as a citizen of the United States of America at a ceremony held in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Vergara was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church and St. James Catholic Church in Arlington Heights; and

WHEREAS, Virgil P. Vergara was a dedicated father and loving husband, who with his wife, "Sunny", instilled in his four daughters the value of having a strong commitment to one's family, the desire to learn, a dedication to seeking higher education, and a deep pride in embracing their Filipino heritage and cultural values; and

WHEREAS, He enjoyed international travel, learning about and experiencing new cultures with his wife and was an active supporter of numerous Filipino-American civic and cultural organizations in the Chicagoland area, including the Solano, Nueva Vizcaya Association of Illinois; the Batangas Association of the Midwest; and the Filipino Civil Rights Advocates, Chicago Chapter, for which he participated in numerous community forums, fundraising efforts, and lobbying activities to help build awareness for the cause of Filipino World War II veterans who were denied their U.S. veteran benefits, including contacting members of Congress to seek their co-sponsorship for federal legislation to fully restore U.S. veteran benefits to Filipino World War II veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces; and

WHEREAS, He had a long and distinguished career as a successful financial planner and insurance representative, serving the financial and insurance needs of Chicagoland's Filipino-American community, attaining distinction in his profession and receiving numerous awards, including membership to the President's Club in 1993 for excellence in performance and for being one of the top producers; and in 1995 and 1997, he was selected to participate in the Royal Blue Business Convention, which is reserved only for the top producers nationwide; and

WHEREAS, Virgil P. Vergara was a loving and supportive father who made great sacrifices to help his family succeed; who during his lifetime was able to witness numerous graduations and academic awards ceremonies of his four beloved daughters; and

WHEREAS, Virgil P. Vergara's untimely passing was deeply felt by his family and many friends, most especially by his beloved wife, "Sunny"; his loving daughters, Vanessa, Vivika, Melissa, and Rowena; his son-in-law, Joseph Seliga; his mother, Julieta; his brothers, Ernesto, Edilberto, Manolito, Pedro; and his sister, Delia; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of Virgil P. Vergara along with all who knew and loved him and extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Virgil P. Vergara as an expression of our deepest sympathy for their loss.