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1		SENATE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3		to learn of the death of Jon Van, who passed away on July 10,
4		2019 at the age of 75; and
5		WHEREAS, Jon Van was born Jon Karl Van Dusseldorp to Karl
6		and Charlotte Christianson Van Dusseldorp in Des Moines in
7		1943; he was their only child; he graduated from North Des
8		Moines High School in 1960, where he was a National Merit
9		Scholar and played trombone in the marching band; he attended
10		the University of Iowa where he earned a bachelor's degree in
11		1966 and a master's degree in political science in 1968; he was
12		a Sigma Chi and a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national
13		leadership honor society; and
14		WHEREAS, During his college years, Jon Van covered student
15		unrest at the University of Iowa as a reporter and editor of
16		the student run newspaper, the Daily Iowan; he was also a
17		freelance reporter for the Des Moines Register, where he
18		covered events and city and county governmental news in Iowa
19		City; and
20		WHEREAS, In 1973, Jon Van began his career at the Chicago
21		Tribune as a metro reporter; within a few years, he started
22		covering science and would often work alongside veteran

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1		science reporter Ronald Kotulak; and
2		WHEREAS, Jon Van had an insatiable curiosity about how
3		things work; he was a multi-talented reporter who covered a
4		wide range of interests and topics, including Mount Saint
5		Helens' eruption, space launches, experiments and discoveries
6		at Fermilab, and the big particle accelerator in Switzerland;
7		after attending the American Association for Advancement of
8		Science annual meeting in 1990, he reported on subjects
9		ranging from carcinogens in food to pigeons or pulsars; in
10		later years at the Tribune, he covered technology for the
11		business section that included subjects such as wireless
12		broadband, nanotechnology, and Illinois' biotech community;
13		and
14		WHEREAS, Jon Van used his talent for writing to help
15		readers understand complex concepts with ease; he was
16		considered an upbeat subject matter expert and helpful to his
17		colleagues; he retired from the Tribune in 2008; and
18		WHEREAS, Jon Van was an avid cyclist who was a member of
19		the League of American Wheelmen; he commuted from his home in
20		Oak Park to the Chicago Tribune Tower for many years; he went
21		on cycling trips through the United States and Europe with his
22		cycling companions; in 1974, he participated in a 430-mile
23		trip across Iowa; and

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1		WHEREAS, Jon Van was known for his quick wit and keen
2		observations; he loved beer and jazz; he left a final legacy in
3		his field of interest by donating his body to science; and
4		WHEREAS, At the time of his passing, Jon Van was survived
5		by his wife, Marsha; his daughters, Kristin Virginia Van and
6		Lisa Van Pasquesi (Scott); his grandchildren, Anthony Van
7		Pasquesi, Ryan Scott Pasquesi, and Tea Denise Pasquesi; his
8		former wife, Denise O'Brien Van; his several cousins; his
9		colleagues; and his many friends; therefore, be it
10		RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
11		ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12		Jon Van and extend our sincere condolences to his family,
13		friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
14		RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15		presented to the family of Jon Van as an expression of our
16		deepest sympathy.