SR0593 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0593 LRB095 20459 KXB 48238 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Geraldine W. "Jerry" Boehm of McHenry, who passed away on March 3, 2008; and

WHEREAS, She was born July 3, 1922, in Chicago, to Harry J. and Hazel W. (Beaman) Becker; she lived in McHenry for more than 70 years; she graduated from McHenry High School in 1940; in 1943, she enlisted as a W.A.V.E. in the United States Navy and served for three years in Washington D.C.'s Office of Naval Intelligence; in 1945, she married Robert J. Doran and he preceded her in death in 1955; in 1959, she married her second husband, John L. Boehm, who preceded her in death March 22, 2003; and

WHEREAS, She served on the original site selection committee for McHenry County College and was secretary of the McHenry Township Republican Women's Club; she also was the secretary of United Cerebral Palsy of Illinois for 14 years and served for many years as president of McHenry's UCP affiliate; she founded the Blackhawk Region of United Cerebral Palsy, which, to this day, serves clients in six northern Illinois counties; Pioneer Center grew out of this organization; and

WHEREAS, She was the founder of McHenry High School's first PTA; she served many years as president of the local Toastmasters and was district governor for two years; she was on the Comprehensive Health Planning Committee mandated by former Governor Richard Ogilvie and was instrumental in the construction of McHenry's first hospital; she also wrote the "History of McHenry Hospital" for the History of McHenry County; and

WHEREAS, In 1973, she graduated from McHenry County College and was named in the Who's Who in Junior Colleges in 1972-73; she was a charter member of Women's World War II Veterans and was a member of the McHenry Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary 4600, American Legion Post 491, AMVETS Post 269, Toastmasters International for 30 years, and First United Methodist Church of McHenry, where she sang in the choir for more than 30 years; and

WHEREAS, She performed for the Ann Varese Theatre Company; she was a former employee of McHenry Sand and Gravel Company and Quaker Inc.; she was an avid roller skater; she loved to camp, fish, sing, and golf and had belonged to an exercise group at Shamrock Health Club; she also loved public speaking and fundraising; however, cooking was not her passion; and

WHEREAS, She was preceded in death by her first husband, Robert J. Doran; her second husband, John L. Boehm; an infant son, John Scott Boehm; her parents; a sister, Dorothea Moore; and a brother, William Becker; and

WHEREAS, Geraldine Boehm is survived by her children, James W. (Charlotte) Doran, Robert J. (Karen) Doran, Kathleen Ellen (Grayling) Repke, Terrence P. (Susan) Doran, Kevin M. Doran, and Gary S. Boehm; her seven grandchildren, James Doran, Julie Sherman, Sarah Mudd, Robert Doran III, Michael Repke, David Repke, and Lindsey Doran; and her four great-grandchildren, Regan Sherman, Ryan Sherman, Reese Sherman, and Isabel Doran Mudd; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Geraldine W. "Jerry" Boehm; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Geraldine W. "Jerry" Boehm as a symbol of our sympathy.