SR1204 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1204 LRB103 42469 LAW 75699 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Dennis McClendon of Chicago, who passed away on August 8, 2024; and

WHEREAS, Dennis McClendon was born to Noble Lester and Merida McClendon in Texarkana, Arkansas on July 23, 1957; while in high school, he passed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) examination and became a radio disc jockey under the DJ name "Mark Austin" at KOSY-FM in Texarkana; he graduated from Texas Senior High School in 1975, where he was a National Merit Scholar; he majored in urban studies at Tulsa University; he then attended the University of Texas in Austin School of Law and passed the Texas bar exam; and

WHEREAS, Dennis McClendon relocated to Chicago to begin working for the accounting firm Arthur Anderson, during which he developed what became a lifelong love for the City of Chicago, leading him to become immersed in Chicago history, architecture, and urban design; he bought an apartment in the South Loop and played an active role in the South Loop Neighbors organization, where he held many positions during his long tenure, including president and vice president of planning and development; and

WHEREAS, Dennis McClendon became known for his work as a cartographer and designer, impacting generations of Chicago visitors and residents alike; he worked for the American Planning Association (APA) and helped produce their monthly publication; his work on maps for the magazine led to him establishing his own company, Chicago CartoGraphics; he created maps for many clients, including the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and the Chicago Department of Transportation, where he designed the original Chicago Bike Map; and

WHEREAS, As an expert in Chicago history, Dennis McClendon was a popular lecturer on a wide variety of topics, including railroad stations, bridges, World's Fairs, mapmaking, and Burnham's 1909 Plan for Chicago; he also maintained a formidable online presence, particularly on Reddit, where he posted under the screen name "MrDowntown"; he was considered a reliable source of information and expertise, often providing concise, academically-sourced answers to settle debates on r/Chicago and r/AskHistorians, among other subreddits; he also served as a primary source to local media, including WBEZ's Curious City radio broadcast and WTTW's Ask Geoffrey television program, and his Chicago In Maps website has long been a trusted resource for historic map collections; and

WHEREAS, Dennis McClendon was a certified tour guide and vice president of the Chicago Tour-Guide Professionals Association, and he worked as a volunteer disk jockey for CRIS Radio in Chicago, which provides daily readings of newspapers and periodicals for the visually impaired; he was a longtime member of the North American Cartographic Information Society (NACIS), where he was founder and host of its annual GeoDweeb Geopardy competition; he was also a member of the Chicago Map Society and the Central Electric Railfans Association, and he served as a longtime mentor to the Chicago chapter of Young Professionals in Transportation; and

WHEREAS, Dennis McClendon was a citizen of the world, visiting more than 100 countries and sharing his passion for traveling with family and friends; he had a conversational knowledge of Spanish, German, and French; during his travels, he often took pictures of public transportation as well as outstanding examples of urban design, contributing many of his photos to dedicated websites; and

WHEREAS, Dennis McClendon will be remembered for his brilliant mind, his extraordinary kindness, his avid curiosity, and his endless generosity with sharing his knowledge; and

WHEREAS, Dennis McClendon was preceded in death by his father; and

WHEREAS, Dennis McClendon is survived by his mother; his sister, Denise (Louis) Carriveau; his nephews, David (Katy) Carriveau and Michael Carriveau; and his niece, Sara (Nick) Monfries; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dennis McClendon and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dennis McClendon as an expression of our deepest sympathy.