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1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Rodger
4 William Hammill of Franklin Park, who passed away March 5,
5 2002; and
6 WHEREAS, Mr. Hammill was born August 30, 1915, and moved
7 with Dorothy, his wife of 61 years, to Franklin Park in 1942;
8 and
9 WHEREAS, Mr. Hammill started taking pictures for the Fire
10 and Police Departments in 1943; he eventually became the
11 official photographer for the Franklin Park, River Grove,
12 Elmwood Park, Schiller Park, Bensenville, Northlake, Park
13 Ridge, Rosemont, Stone Park, Leyden Township, and Norwood
14 Park Police and Fire Departments and the Illinois State
15 Police; and
16 WHEREAS, Through his incredible photograph collection,
17 Mr. Hammill was able to assist with the 70th anniversary of
18 Franklin Park in 1962, the 75th anniversary in 1967, and its
19 Centennial in 1992; and
20 WHEREAS, Mr. Hammill helped create the Village Library
21 District in 1967 and had been a constant contributor of
22 pictures and items to the library; and
23 WHEREAS, Mr. Hammill was an extremely active citizen of
24 Franklin Park and worked to better his community until his
25 death; and
26 WHEREAS, Mr. Hammill, along with many other achievements,
27 was past President and a Charter Member of the Franklin Park
28 Kiwanis Club; he was an Honorary Member of the Franklin Park
29 Rotary Club and past President and Board Member of the
30 Northwest Suburban Manufacturers Association; Mr. Hammill was
31 the Board President of the Westlake Pavilion, which began as
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1 the Leyden Community Hospital Foundation and is now the
2 Scalibrini Life Center; he was an active member of the First
3 Methodist Church of Franklin Park; and he was appointed
4 Police & Fire Commissioner in 1947, Cook County Constable in
5 1957, and Civil Defense Director of Franklin Park in 1959;
6 and
7 WHEREAS, Mr. Hammill was honored in 1978 with a
8 testimonial dinner held by local Police, Fire, and Village
9 officials; he was honored as Individual of the Year by the
10 Franklin Park Chamber of Commerce in 1985; Cook County
11 Sheriff Michael F. Sheahan presented Mr. Hammill with the
12 Sheriff's Senior Medal of Honor Award in 1997; the highest
13 award in Kiwanis, the Amador Medal, was awarded Mr. Hammill
14 in 1997; and
15 WHEREAS, Mr. Hammill received a village wide honor on
16 February 25, 2001, with "A Salute to Rodger Hammill;" those
17 honoring him included the First United Methodist Church, the
18 Franklin Park Chamber of Commerce, the Franklin Park Kiwanis
19 Club, the Franklin Park Public Library, the Leyden Area
20 United Way, the Northwest Suburban Manufacturers Association
21 and the Westlake Pavilion; the park across the street from
22 Hammill Studios was named "Rodger W. Hammill Village Square"
23 and the Belmont Avenue block from Rose Street to Edington was
24 named "Honorary Rodger Hammill Parkway;" and
25 WHEREAS, Mr. Hammill will be deeply missed by all those
26 who knew him and loved him, especially his wife, Dorothy; his
27 daughter, Judith (Robert) Casey; his son Thomas (Rebecca)
28 Hammill; his grandchildren, Andrew and Elizabeth Hammill; his
29 brother Edward (Jane) Hammill; his sister-in-law, Phyllis
30 Rieck; and his many nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
31 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
32 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
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1 we mourn, along with all those who knew him and loved him,
2 the passing of Rodger William Hammill; and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be sent
4 to the family of Rodger Hammill with our sincere condolences.
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