Bill Text: IL HR0420 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of our former colleague, Ann Stepan of Chicago.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Passed) 2015-04-28 - Resolution Adopted [HR0420 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-HR0420-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of our
former colleague, Ann Stepan of Chicago, who passed away on
April 17, 2015; and
WHEREAS, Ann Stepan was born on September 27, 1943, the
fourth of the 6 children of Robert Ruppe and Eileen Bauser
Ruppe; she studied at Barat College in Lake Forest; and
WHEREAS, In 1965, Ann married her soulmate and high school
sweetheart, Paul H. Stepan, who preceded her in death in 2013;
for 48 years, they shared an enduring love and marriage; they
were the loving and beloved parents of Shannon and Paul, and
the proud grandparents of Ava, Kathleen, Owen, and Emily; and
WHEREAS, Ann traveled to Selma, Alabama at the age of 21 to
participate in the historic civil rights march to Montgomery;
Ann focused her passion for social justice on changing and
improving the world through her involvement in politics at the
local, state, and national levels; and
WHEREAS, Ann Stepan was elected as the first female
Democratic Committeeman for Chicago's 43rd Ward in 1984 and was
re-elected in 1988; her ward organization was known as one of

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the strongest and most effective in the city; and
WHEREAS, In 1991, Ann Stepan took office as a member of the
Illinois House of Representatives, serving the 7th
Representative District for one term; she co-sponsored the Lead
Poisoning Prevention Act of 1992 and supported important
legislation for family leave; her strong advocacy for female
candidates wove into her appointment to the House; the election
of Dawn Clark Netsch as Comptroller in 1990, the first woman
elected to statewide office and a trailblazer for female
candidates in Illinois, led to a vacancy that Ann filled ably
and with devotion to her constituents; and
WHEREAS, Ann Stepan worked to help elect Democratic
candidates across the nation; in 1988, she was elected to
Illinois' Democratic National Committee delegation and served
as an Illinois delegate to the 2000 Democratic National
Convention; and
WHEREAS, Ann was a strong devotee of the arts, serving as a
Trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and
collector of modern art; a devout Catholic, Ann was an active
member of Saint Clement Parish and instrumental in leading the
fundraising effort for needed church renovations; therefore,
be it

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RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
mourn the passing of Ann Stepan, and extend our sincere
condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved
her; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Ann Stepan as an expression of our
deepest sympathy.