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1
SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of James Russell "Jim" Fay, who passed away
4on January 10, 2015; and
5 WHEREAS, James Fay was born in Joliet on November 17, 1924
6to William E., Sr. and Helen (nee Maloney) Fay; he graduated
7from St. Raymond's Grammar School in 1938 and attended Joliet
8Catholic High School until 1940; he finished his secondary
9education at Culver Academy, where he graduated as "Best
10All-round Cadet" in 1942; while studying engineering at
11Northwestern University, he was a member of the NROTC, before
12serving as a Naval Officer in the Pacific Theater of Operations
13in World War II, stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; in 1948, he
14was awarded a Master of Business Administration by Babson
15College, and, in 1949, he was awarded a Bakery Science Degree
16from the American Institute of Baking; in 1952, he married
17Margaret "Peggy" Cunningham at the Church of St. Raymond; and
18 WHEREAS, James Fay succeeded his father as President of the
19Joliet-based Champion Machinery Company in 1962, serving in
20that capacity for 31 years; in 1993, he became Senior Executive
21Consultant to CMC-America, then under the third-generation
22leadership of his son; in 2011, at the age of 87, he was
23granted a United States Patent for bakery equipment; and

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1 WHEREAS, James Fay was actively involved in a 44-year
2Ministry as a Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus Minister of the
3Word; he served as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist
4for 31 years and with the Visitation of the Sick of his parish;
5he admired and served with dedication in the Cathedral Of Saint
6Raymond St. Vincent de Paul Society and with Meals on Wheels;
7and
8 WHEREAS, James Fay's civic and community activities
9included board directorships of the Illinois Manufacturer's
10Association, the Will County Manufacturer's Association, the
11Three Rivers Manufacturer's Association, the Joliet Chamber of
12Commerce, the Bakery Equipment Manufacturers Association
13(BEMA), and the International Bakery Industry Exposition and
14serving as Executive Committee Member of the American Society
15of Bakers for 75 years; in 2004, he was presented with BEMA's
16Lifetime Achievement Award; he was a founding member of the
17Joliet Country Club for 64 years and of the Chicago Lake Shore
18Club and Chicago International Club; and
19 WHEREAS, James Fay was preceded in death by his brother,
20William E. "Bill" Fay, Jr. (Margaret Hoover), and his son,
21James Russell Fay, Jr. (Mary Fay, M.D.); and
22 WHEREAS, James Fay is survived by his wife, Margaret; their

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1children, Patrick, Meagen (William Gunther), Edward (Cathreen
2Clohisy), and Christopher (Milena Villamar); his 13
3grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews; therefore, be it
4 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
5ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of
6James Russell "Jim" Fay, and extend our sincere condolences to
7his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
8further
9 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to the family of James Fay as an expression of our
11deepest sympathy.