SR1069 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1069 LRB096 24444 KXB 44128 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Marshall "Zeke" Smith of Edwardsville, who passed away on November 18, 2010; and

WHEREAS, He worked at Western Cartridge Company and attended Shurtleff College, prior to the war; he enlisted the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked and served his country in the infantry in North Africa and the Middle East for thirty-four months; he was discharged as a staff sergeant in November of 1945; he remained in the Ready Reserve as a first sergeant until June of 1954; and

WHEREAS, He was a lifetime member of the VFW and American Legion; upon graduating from Washington University Law School in 1949, he opened a law practice in Wood River and had a general and trial practice which handled substantial workman's compensation cases; his lifetime in the law business was spent in the East Alton-Wood River area; he also represented the Village of East Alton, the City of Wood River, the St. Louis Regional Airport, and the Wood River Levy District for approximately 20 years; he also served as an Assistant State's Attorney for 8 years; and

WHEREAS, He will always be remembered for his love of telling "war stories" and his "famous" cigar; he enjoyed duck hunting, sailing, traveling the back roads of America, Dixieland music, spending time farming and cattle raising in the Prairietown area, and his everlasting fondness for his dog, Bunky; one of his greatest pleasures was driving friends around the farm in Prairietown; he will also be remembered for the many fall festivities at the farm; upon retirement, he spent much time reading, manicuring his lawn, raising flowers, and welcoming visitors into his home; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents, Marshall and Estel Smith; and his sisters, Odessa Nelson and Margaret Barley; and

WHEREAS, Marshall Smith is survived by his wife of 64 years, Virginia; his 3 sons, Mark, Eric, and Wyatt Smith; his grandchildren, Erica Gomez, Ryan Smith, Nona Lynn Smith, Mark Blunt, and Kimberly Cheek; and his six great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Marshall "Zeke" Smith; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Marshall "Zeke" Smith as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.