Bill Text: IL HR0958 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Coach Richard E. "Rich" Herrin.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-01-10 - Resolution Adopted [HR0958 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HR0958-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 Richard
E. "Rich" Herrin, who passed away on December 25, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Rich Herrin attended several grade schools and
graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1951; he graduated
from McKendree University in Lebanon in 1956, where he earned
11 varsity letters in basketball, track, golf, and baseball; he
received his master's degree from Southern Illinois University
Carbondale (SIU) in the summer of 1962; and
WHEREAS, Rich Herrin married Martha Sue Cooksey on December
21, 1957, whom he met accidentally at a SIU football game in
the fall of 1956; and
WHEREAS, Rich Herrin's career began in the small community
of Okawville in the fall of 1956; he taught and coached the
Rockets for four years, where he had great success with a team
of talented and dedicated young men; he and his family moved to
Benton in the summer of 1960, where he began a 25-year span of
exciting and successful teaching and coaching the Rangers,
compiling an astonishing record number of wins that led to 21
regional tournament wins and five trips to the state
tournament; in 1982, the Benton High School gymnasium was named

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in his honor; and
WHEREAS, Rich Herrin began his college coaching career at
SIU in 1985, leading the Salukis for 13 years; he was named the
Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Coach of the Year in 1990 and
led the Salukis to their first and only three-peat by winning
the MVC Tournament three times in a row, which allowed the
Salukis to play in the NCAA tournament three times, in 1993,
1994, and 1995; in 2002, he began coaching for the Marion
Wildcats for five years; he finalized his 52-year coaching
career at Morthland College in West Frankfort, coaching five
more years, where he won the Christian College National
Invitational Tournament Championship in 2016; and
WHEREAS, By the end of his career, Rich Herrin had amassed
an amazing total of 981 victories; many of his players earned
college scholarships; a large number of his players became
basketball coaches, and several played in the NBA; besides his
loving family, the impact he had on so many young lives is one
of his greatest legacies; and
WHEREAS, Rich Herrin received many honors during his
illustrious career; in addition to the St. Louis Sports Hall of
Fame and the Southern Illinois Coaches Hall of Fame, he was
inducted into several other halls of fame, including those of
McKendree University, SIU, the Illinois Basketball Coaches

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Association, and the Missouri Valley Conference; and
WHEREAS, Rich Herrin was known throughout most of his life
as "Coach Herrin" and taught his players many skills, both on
and off the basketball court; and
WHEREAS, Rich Herrin dedicated decades of his life in
service to the youth of Southern Illinois and had a lasting
impact on the lives of his players, students, family, and
friends; and
WHEREAS, Rich Herrin was a treasured husband, father,
grandfather, coach, and friend; and
WHEREAS, Rich Herrin was preceded in death by his parents;
his brother, Ron; his mother-in-law and father-in-law,
Elizabeth and Ben Cooksey; his brothers-in-law, Glen Zilmer and
Jack Richey; his niece, Tara (Zilmer) Kaiser; and his
great-nephew, Cameron Herrin Vennard; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we mourn the passing of Coach Richard E. "Rich" Herrin and
extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all
who knew and loved him; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Rich Herrin as an expression of our
deepest sympathy.