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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 
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learn of the death of Thomas G. Lyons of Chicago, who passed 
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away on January 12, 2007; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Thomas Lyons, the 45th ward committeeman, was 
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first elected the chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party 
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in 1970, a position he held for nearly seventeen years; he was 
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a native of Chicago, a former police officer and an attorney 
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since 1957; he served as chief attorney for the Cook County 
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Assessor's Office from 1958 to 1960 before joining the office 
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of the Illinois Attorney General; and

 
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    WHEREAS, He was elected State Senator in 1964; the next 
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year he was elected to serve in a leadership role for the State 
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commission studying the need for a new State constitution; he 
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was later elected a delegate to the 1970 Constitutional 
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Convention, serving as vice-president during the drafting of 
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the 1970 Illinois Constitution; and

 
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    WHEREAS, While serving in the Illinois Senate he served as 
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chairman of the appropriations committee; and he served as a 
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delegate to the Democratic National Convention from 1968 to 
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2000; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Thomas Lyons was named a Knight of the Holy 
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Sepulchre by the late Joseph Cardinal Bernardin and was awarded 
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a Medal of Excellence by the Loyola University Chicago School 
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of Law; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Mr. Lyons was named by former President Bill 
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Clinton to the American Battle Monuments Commission as a 
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reflection of his dedication to military service; in the 1950s 
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Mr. Lyons served in the United States Army and became a captain 
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of the Army Rangers; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Thomas G. Lyons is survived by his loving wife, 
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Ruth; his sons, Frank and Thomas; his daughters, Alexandra 
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Cooney and Rachel Cooper; his eight grandchildren; and many 
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good friends and admirers; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with 
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his family and friends, the passing of Thomas G. Lyons; and be 
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it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Thomas G. Lyons as an expression of 
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our deepest sympathy for their loss.