SR0641 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0641 LRB094 19665 HSS 56116 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of the Reverend Paul M. Johannaber of Saint Charles on Tuesday, November 29, 2005; and

WHEREAS, He was born February 17, 1919, in Marthasville, Missouri, to Robert and Dora (Meier) Johannaber; he was a graduate of Stockton High School and attended the College of the Pacific, both in California; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Johannaber served his country as a member of the U.S. Army during World War II; his Christian life and character were both shaped and expressed during his years in military service; and

WHEREAS, He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech from Wheaton College in 1949 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1971; during his graduate school years, he taught speech and coached junior varsity debate; and

WHEREAS, He was a member of the honorary speech fraternity, Pi Kappa Delta, and helped found the Seminary Club, serving as its president for one year; he was a student pastor of Hillside Baptist Church in Aurora from 1949 to 1954, when he became superintendent of Wayside Cross Rescue Mission; he was ordained to the gospel ministry in Claim Baptist Church on December 1, 1952; and

WHEREAS, During his thirty years at Wayside Cross, he was known for changing the lives of addicts and reaching out to the needy; under his leadership, the mission launched a women's program, began Aurora's first summer school for children of Spanish-speaking migrant works, and opened summer camps for children, a halfway house for parolees, an emergency shelter for homeless women and children, work rehabilitation for recovering alcoholics, and held daily Bible classes and counseling services at Kane County jail; the first Spanish-speaking church in Aurora, Life Spring Ministries, and the Riverwoods Christian Center were all outgrowths of his work at Wayside Cross; and

WHEREAS, He was a member of the Rotary Club of Aurora, the Wheaton College Alumni Association, the Aurora Area Clergy Association, the Aurora Prayer Breakfast Group, the International Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, and many others; he served several of those organizations as president or chairman; he was honored for service to God and country by the Kiwanis Club, the Cosmopolitan Club, the Illinois Migrant Council, and others; he was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International; and

WHEREAS, His favorite recreation activities included fishing, water-skiing, and travel, and family reunions were a major interest for him; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Reverend Johannaber has been deeply felt by many, especially his wife, Katherine (Deckman), whom he met in 1940 at a Methodist youth camp in Forest Home, California; his daughter, Lois Ruth (Daniel Jon) Diercks; his grandchildren, Jonathan Paul (Keli) Diercks, Belinda Kay (Joel) Wordlaw, David Jeremy Diercks, and Timothy James (LeAnn) Diercks; and his great-grandchildren, Davis Jonathan Diercks, Caris Elizabeth Diercks, Jada Kay Wordlaw, Zoe Joelle Wordlaw, Kalyn Olivia Diercks, and Macy Elena Diercks; he was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Raymond; his sister, Ruth (Lee) Person; and many aunts, uncles and cousins; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of the Reverend Paul M. Johannaber, and we 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 his family as an expression of our deepest sympathy.