SR0164 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0164 SRS094 00021 SMW 30021 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate were deeply saddened by the death of former State Senator Ralph Dunn who passed away on May 3, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Senator Dunn lived for 90 years, 22 of which were dedicated to serving the people of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, He began his career in 1935 hauling lumber for a sawmill and shortly after that was involved in the construction of Illinois Route 127 and was later named President of the Teamsters Local Chapter in 1937 at the age of 21; and

WHEREAS, Senator Dunn and his two younger brothers worked together in building small business enterprises that included a ready-mix business, a trucking company, a car dealership, a real estate business and a radio station; and

WHEREAS, Senator Dunn traded $3,000 worth of concrete to purchase his first airplane which crashed, however, he was not deterred from buying a Cessna which he then flew across the State of Illinois to fight for the cause of Cerebral Palsy; and

WHEREAS, One of his proudest moments was being elected as a delegate to the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention, 1969-1970, which he described as a thrill and full of bright people; and

WHEREAS, He served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1973 to 1985 and served in the Illinois Senate from 1985 to 1995, never losing an election; and

WHEREAS, As a lawmaker, Senator Dunn's greatest legacy was serving his constituents even when he had to challenge party leaders, being a strong advocate for Southern Illinois University and creating the Coal Research Center located at SIU; and

WHEREAS, A 1995 Murphysboro American editorial commemorated his legacy shortly after he retired from the Illinois Senate by saying that he is what every lawmaker should strive to be, but what few ever become; and

WHEREAS, He was described by his friends as a gentleman who listened attentively to his constituents regardless of their party affiliation, and was well known to give people coins imprinted with a shamrock and the phrase "Good Luck to You" at events he attended; and

WHEREAS, In 1997, Southern Illinois University honored Senator Dunn for his many achievements on behalf of the University by renaming its business incubator the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center; and

WHEREAS, He sponsored the law requiring major utility companies to install pollution controls so that Illinois' high-sulfur coal could still be utilized; and

WHEREAS, He helped to pass the legislation to turn Scott Air Force Base into a joint use facility, which has allowed the facility to remain open despite base closures all across the country.

WHEREAS, He was instrumental in getting State facilities located in Southern Illinois, including the Anna Veterans Home; and

WHEREAS, He was a strong supporter of public education and he served as Chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee and as a member of the Senate Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education; and

WHEREAS, He was also a member of the Illinois Council on Aging, the Joint Committee on Minority Student Access, a member of the Illinois Coal Development Board for 20 years and a member of the Board at the DuQuoin State Bank for 20 years; and

WHEREAS, Senator Dunn never let age interfere with his desire to be physically fit and spent time jogging even while he was in Springfield; and

WHEREAS, He was very involved in Legislative Fitness Day activities at the Capitol and received an award from the Governor's Council on Health and Physical Fitness for participating in the event for five consecutive years; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Ellen, and stepson, Danny Dunn; and

WHEREAS, He is survived by his children, Jerry Dunn, Catherine Sunnquist Florence Dunn-O'Neal, and Janet Johnson; his brother James Dunn; his 12 grandchildren; and his 20 great-grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the loss of Ralph Dunn while at the same recognizing his many accomplishments and legacy of hard work and loyal service to his constituents; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the children and grandchildren of our friend, Ralph Dunn, with our deepest sympathies and our enduring respect, admiration, and love for their father and grandfather.