Bill Text: IL HR1042 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Congratulates Martin Joseph "Joe" O'Rourke on celebrating his 100th birthday. Thanks him for his service to our country. Wishes him and his family well.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2026-10-06 - Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Adam M. Niemerg [HR1042 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2025-HR1042-Introduced.html
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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives wish to congratulate Martin Joseph "Joe" | ||||||
| 4 | O'Rourke on the occasion of his 100th birthday; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, Joe O'Rourke was born to Martin "Buddy" O'Rourke | ||||||
| 6 | and Margaret (Forbeck) O'Rourke in Marshall on July 21, 1926; | ||||||
| 7 | and | ||||||
| 8 | WHEREAS, Joe O'Rourke enlisted as a private in the United | ||||||
| 9 | States Army in May 1945; during his tenure, he achieved the | ||||||
| 10 | rank of technician fourth grade in the 977th Signal Service | ||||||
| 11 | Battalion and was stationed in Italy and Persia, where he | ||||||
| 12 | serviced and maintained military telephones systems; he was | ||||||
| 13 | honorably discharged in December 1946; and | ||||||
| 14 | WHEREAS, Joe O'Rourke earned his GED from Marshall High | ||||||
| 15 | School following his military service, and he proceeded to | ||||||
| 16 | work at Velsicol Chemical Plant until his retirement at the | ||||||
| 17 | age of 62; and | ||||||
| 18 | WHEREAS, Joe O'Rourke married Inez Remlinger in 1949, and | ||||||
| 19 | together they had five sons, Bob, Tom, John, Gary, and Brian, | ||||||
| 20 | and their family grew to include 12 grandchildren and 17 | ||||||
| 21 | great-grandchildren; and | ||||||
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| 1 | WHEREAS, Joe O'Rourke's family has a deep history of | ||||||
| 2 | military service, including his father and his uncle, Johnny | ||||||
| 3 | Forbeck, who both fought for our nation in the U.S. Army during | ||||||
| 4 | World War I, two of his brothers, Bill and Pat O'Rourke, who | ||||||
| 5 | served in World War II, and his grandson, Ryan O'Rourke, who | ||||||
| 6 | served in the U.S. Air Force during Operation Enduring | ||||||
| 7 | Freedom; and | ||||||
| 8 | WHEREAS, Joe O'Rourke has been a lifelong fan of Chicago | ||||||
| 9 | sports teams, including the Chicago White Sox, the Chicago | ||||||
| 10 | Bulls, and the Chicago Bears; and | ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, Joe O'Rourke currently resides at Harrison's | ||||||
| 12 | Crossing Health Campus in Terre Haute, Indiana; and | ||||||
| 13 | WHEREAS, For serving his country honorably and valiantly, | ||||||
| 14 | Joe O'Rourke is an inspiration to future generations of our | ||||||
| 15 | nation; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 16 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 17 | HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 18 | we congratulate Martin Joseph "Joe" O'Rourke on celebrating | ||||||
| 19 | his 100th birthday, thank him for his service to our country, | ||||||
| 20 | and wish him and his family well; and be it further | ||||||
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| 1 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 2 | presented to Joe O'Rourke as a symbol of our esteem and | ||||||
| 3 | respect. | ||||||
