SR0484 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0484 LRB097 15506 KXB 60628 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Anthony "Tony" Romolo of Peoria, who passed away on December 6, 2011; and

WHEREAS, He was born July 19, 1930 in Peoria, to Joseph and Genevieve DeRose Romolo; he married Betty Lovan on December 24, 1951, in Peoria; he served in the United States Army during the Korean War; and

WHEREAS, He was a member of the Italian American Society and the Knights of Columbus for many years; he was a member of Laborers Local 165; he worked as a dispatcher for the Illinois State Police when he returned from Korea; upon his father's death in 1955, he operated Romolo's Tap for 20 years; and

WHEREAS, He became the Illinois Laborers and Contractors Joint Apprentice and Training Program administrator in 1971, where he served until his retirement on February 1, 2001, making him the longest serving training director within the Laborers International Union of North America; the Board of Trustees named the training center the Anthony C. Romolo Training Center in Mount Sterling, to honor his work and dedication to the members; he and the Board of Trustees of the Training Program broke all barriers and became the first training or apprentice program in the state of Illinois to offer an all women's class in 1979; and

WHEREAS, He was a Spalding Institute graduate, playing football on the 1944 football team that was inducted into the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame; he also played semi-pro football for the Canton Jets; he was active in softball, being an Illinois Amateur Softball Association player, sponsor, and commissioner; he was inducted into the ASA Hall of Fame in 2008 in the Meritorious Service Category; and

WHEREAS, He loved his children and grandchildren; his passion was attending every game and dance recital they participated in and videotaping all the games and practices; he spent countless hours making copies of every game he taped for each and every player on the team and never missed a game; he was grandpa to all the players and he made everyone smile when he was around; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty; and his brother, Pandolphi; and

WHEREAS, Anthony Romolo is survived by his daughter, Lila (Tim) Kennelly, and their children, Nathan and Katie Kennelly; his son, Joe (Pam) Romolo and their children, Kristin, Luke and Nick Romolo; and his daughter, Toni Genovese and her children, Domini and Dara Genovese; therefore, be it

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

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