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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 Walter
4		Edward Pilditch, who passed away on December 24, 2017; and
5		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch was born in Chicago to Howard and
6		Edith Pilditch on April 30, 1931; he was baptized at Beverly's
7		St. Paul's Bible Church, where he remained a member all his
8		life; he joined St. Paul's Boy Scout Troop 608 in 1942,
9		eventually earning Scouting's highest rank of Eagle Scout and
10		serving as Scoutmaster and the Troop's Treasurer; and
11		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch attended Vanderpoel Elementary
12		School and graduated from Morgan Park High School, where he
13		earned membership in the Tau Epsilon Scholastic Society, served
14		as a member of the student administration, and was inducted
15		into the National Honor Society; he attended Wilson Junior
16		College and the Chicago Teachers' College, earning his degree
17		in education, and eventually earning a master's degree from
18		Northwestern University and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern
19		University; and
20		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch began teaching at Felsenthal
21		Elementary School when he was drafted during the Korean War; he
22		served in the United States Army Signal Corps, earning the rank

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1		of Sergeant; he returned to Felsenthal Elementary School and
2		continued his education, joining the University of Chicago's
3		first administrative internship program; and
4		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch married Joyce Gach, a widow with
5		two young children, in 1966, and together they welcomed another
6		son; and
7		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch passed the principal's
8		examination in 1968, serving first at Jungman Elementary School
9		for 10 years and then at his alma mater, Morgan Park High
10		School, where he employed his policy of "Management by Walking
11		Around" and utilized innovative automated "wake up calls" to
12		reduce tardiness and truancy; and
13		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch moved to Curie High School and
14		then served the district in the Office of Accountability; and
15		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch was twice elected to the Chicago
16		Teachers' Pension Fund (CTPF) Board of Trustees, serving from
17		1995 until 2001; he was also a member and president of the
18		Chicago Principals and Administrators Association; and
19		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch retired from CPS in 2001 after 45
20		years of service; he was elected to the CTPF Board of Trustees
21		as a pensioner representative in 2003 and re-elected seven more

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1		times, most recently in November of 2017; he served in many
2		leadership roles including vice president and financial
3		Secretary and as chairman of the Pension Law and Rules, Finance
4		and Audit, and Claims and Service Credits committees; he was
5		also a member of almost every committee; and
6		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch contributed to numerous
7		organizations, serving on the executive committee for the
8		Beverly Area Planning Association, on the Chicago Retired
9		Teachers Aid Fund, as a Chicago Science Fair Judge, and as a
10		Local School Council Community Representative; he was involved
11		with several groups including the Archer Road Kiwanis
12		Organization, the Beverly Improvement Association, the Beverly
13		Ridge Lions Club, and the Retired Teachers Association of
14		Chicago (RTAC); and
15		WHEREAS, Walter Pilditch has been recognized with
16		distinguished service awards from the Aquin Guild and the
17		Assistant Principals Association; he also received the
18		Armstrong Award from RTAC and Scouting's highest recognition,
19		the Silver Beaver Award; therefore, be it
20		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
21		HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
22		mourn the passing of Walter Pilditch, and extend our sincere
23		condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved

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1		him; and be it further
2		RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
3		presented to the family of Walter Pilditch as an expression of
4		our deepest sympathy.