SR0221 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0221 LRB097 11693 KXB 54740 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of James Eitrheim of Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, formerly of Oak Park, who passed away on April 16, 2011; and

WHEREAS, He was born February 21, 1933 on a farm in Baltic, South Dakota; he graduated from Augustana College in 1958 after taking two years out for service in the United States Navy, where he served aboard the destroyer USS Rowe; and

WHEREAS, On August 17, 1958 he married his college sweetheart, Diane C. Johnson; and

WHEREAS, He received his Masters of Arts degree in 1959 from the University of Illinois at Urbana and that same year began a 31-year teaching career at Oak Park and River Forest High School; and

WHEREAS, While teaching theater, he inspired such movie and TV stars as Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Dan Castelleneta, Tom Lennon and Kathy Griffin; he is credited with mentoring hundreds of students and developing their passion for the arts; he was also the force behind building the school's auditorium and the Little Theatre; he also helped construct the buildings, drawing on his experience in carpentry; and

WHEREAS, He planned, cast, and supervised hundreds of theater productions and directed more than 50 plays; he taught stagecraft in addition to drama and served as theater department chairman; the high school's top drama award, the James Eitrheim Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts, is named for him; and

WHEREAS, After retiring in 1990, he accepted a faculty position teaching theater at The University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota; he retired again in 1998; in 2000, he and his wife moved to Pequot Lakes, Minnesota; and

WHEREAS, He served for over 5 years on the Joseph Jefferson Award Committee in Chicago; in 1990, he was honored by Oak Park and River Forest High School with their Outstanding Alumni Achievement and Service Award; he was an active member of the Lutheran faith, serving on various committees and choirs and was currently a member of Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa, Minnesota; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents, Dan and Selma Eitrheim; his brother, Donald; and his niece, Susan Lankford; and

WHEREAS, James Eitrheim is survived by his wife, Diane; his son, Kristofer (Eileen); his daughter, Karin (Steve) Maas; his son, Erik (Dawn); his brother, Norm (Clarice); his sister, Esther (Bill) Boadwine; his sister-in-law, Joan Eitrheim; he rejoiced in the lives of his 5 grandchildren, Greta, Ingrid, Alec, Erik, and Ava; and his 9 nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family, friends, and community, the passing of James Eitrheim; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of James Eitrheim as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.