SR0268 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0268 LRB095 12569 KXB 37809 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Albert Cassens of Corvallis, Montana, formerly of Edwardsville, who passed away on June 12, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Albert Dietrich Cassens was the grandson of German immigrants and grew up on a family farm in Hamel, hauling vegetables during the Great Depression; he is remembered as a Christian man who gave back to the community; and

WHEREAS, The Cassens family had interests in farm machinery, automobile sales, and produce transport, but it was moving vehicles that built the family business; early in the business, Mr. Cassens took a bus from Hamel to Detroit with his brother, Arnold, so they could drive Hudson-Essex cars back to the showroom; the business settled in Edwardsville, focusing on car sales, car insurance, and automobile hauling; and

WHEREAS, Today Cassens Transport Company is one of the most successful family-owned transport businesses in the nation, having hauled for Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors, as well as Toyota and Honda; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Cassens attended night school for eight years at Washington University for accounting certification to help in the family business; and

WHEREAS, For more than a decade, the Edwardsville Chamber of Commerce has given an award named after Mr. Cassens for outstanding community service; he served on the board of directors and as chairman of the Bank of Edwardsville for more than sixty years; Mr. Cassens donated time, money, and land for everything from churches to parks to the local YMCA; Mr. Cassens helped fund expansions and renovations of the Edwardsville YMCA and donated land to the Edwardsville School District; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Cassens was raised in the United Church of Christ and was a member of First Baptist Church in Edwardsville for many years; he was also a member of the Rotary Club for more than 60 years, where he is remembered for not missing a meeting for over 45 years; and

WHEREAS, Albert Cassens was preceded in death by his brother, Arnold Cassens; his first wife, Helen Cassens; and his daughter, JoAnn Shashek; and

WHEREAS, Albert Cassens is survived by his wife, Doris Cassens; his daughter, Kay; his eight grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren; and his dear friend, Robert Plummer; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Albert Cassens; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Albert Cassens as a symbol of our sympathy.