SR0483 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0483 LRB097 15505 KXB 60627 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Robert Newton Kinne of Peoria, who passed away on December 4, 2011; and

WHEREAS, He was born on April 14, 1930, in Chicago to Harold and Dorothy Kinne; he was extensively traveled, having flown over one million miles and visiting over 90 countries on every continent except Africa; he was a certified private pilot, having learned to fly in Luscombes and Aeroncas while a student at the University of Illinois in the late 1940s; he was also a graduate of Bradley University's College of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, He served in the United States Army during the Korean War, where he was commended for several improvements to his unit, ultimately reaching the rank of Technical Sergeant and later transferring to the Army Reserve; he then went to work for Caterpillar Tractor Company, eventually accepting an overseas posting to Santiago de Chile in 1963; some years later he relocated his family to southeast Asia; he later accepted an assignment as Director of Caterpillar's operation in the former Soviet Union during its communist regime; and

WHEREAS, After returning to the United States, he spent several years facilitating national conferences for the benefit of Caterpillar's extensive dealership network; toward the end of his career he was also instrumental in Caterpillar's sponsorship of a program assisting dealers in family legacy business planning resulting in a Harvard Business School study published in 1997; he retired from Caterpillar with 45 years of dedicated service; and

WHEREAS, He was a member of the Singapore American Club; The Victoria Recreation Club (VRC); the LRC (Hong Kong); and a life member of the American Club of Hong Kong; he was an avid tennis player; he was a lifelong gourmand and he was active for many years in a local (private) Peoria gourmet group; he was also a member of the Illinois Valley Yacht and Canoe (IVY) Club, where he served on the board and immensely enjoyed spending his time in recent years; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Gilbert; and his sister, Dorothy Mae; and

WHEREAS, Robert Kinne is survived by his wife of nearly 54 years, Donna; and his children, Kevin (Ashley), Cindy Macmillan, and Michael (Perla); he loved animals and is survived by his devoted English Bulldog, Brunhilde, and a bevy of felines; 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 and friends, the passing of Robert Kinne; and be it further

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