SR1083 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1083 LRB096 24517 KXB 44324 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Denise Frances Ritschel of Peoria, who passed away on November 24, 2010; and

WHEREAS, She was born on January 2, 1919, in Clare, Iowa, to Daniel and Geneva Coleman; she was the third child in a family of eight children steeped in farming, politics, and music; Denise graduated with honors from St. Matthews High School, being recognized for debate and writing; she had hoped to attend college to study journalism, but was sent instead to business school in Des Moines, Iowa; and

WHEREAS, She belonged to a business sorority which sponsored social events with other schools; at a dance, she met Jerome Leroy Ritschel and they were married on May 15, 1939; and

WHEREAS, Her avocation was music; she sang with several big bands, including the Tommy Dorsey Band when she was in Iowa; she turned her love of music into a passion of bringing the arts to Peoria; devoted and committed to the city of Peoria, she served proudly in many civic organizations, including the Peoria Amateur Musical Club and the Symphony Guild, and was a co-founder of the Peoria Civic Opera; and

WHEREAS, She was active in the Historical Society and Lakeview; she served on the National Board of PBS; in the 1960s, she traveled often to New York to help in the launching of Sesame Street on the public television network; in her later years, Denise worked on developing her skills in the writing of poems and children's stories; she was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Church; and

WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerome; her sisters, Dolores Hogan Rowe, Dorothy Ryan, and Patty Coleman; and her brother, Joe Coleman; and

WHEREAS, Denise Ritschel is survived by her sons, Michael (Marcia) and Thomas (Debbie); her daughter, Patricia (Richard Trifilo); her grandchildren, Patrick Ritschel (Tammie), Brian Ritschel, Daniel Ritschel (Tamiko), Timothy Ritschel, Meg Ritschel Harkins (Frank), Gregory Trifilo (Megan), and Colleen Trifilo Mruzik (Jim); her great-grandchildren, Andrew (Jennifer), Josh, Angelina, Samantha, Katie, Michael, Jonathan, Fiona, and Quinn; her sisters, Marcia Castricone and Karen Tuohy; and her brother, Daniel Coleman II; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Denise Ritschel; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Denise Ritschel as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.