Bill Text: IL SR0412 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Mourns the death of The Reverend Dr. Randall Lee "Randy" Saxon of East Peoria.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-09-01 - Resolution Adopted [SR0412 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2021-SR0412-Introduced.html
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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened | ||||||
3 | to learn of the death of The Reverend Dr. Randall Lee "Randy" | ||||||
4 | Saxon of East Peoria, who passed away on June 12, 2021; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon was born in Waverly, New York to | ||||||
6 | Sherm and Velma Saxon on October 28, 1947 and raised in Athens, | ||||||
7 | New York; he received a Bachelor of Arts in English from | ||||||
8 | Mansfield University, a Master of Divinity from Princeton | ||||||
9 | Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Drew | ||||||
10 | University; twice, he was invited to study at Oxford | ||||||
11 | University in England and completed their Summer Religious | ||||||
12 | Studies Program; he also earned certifications as a Master | ||||||
13 | Gardener and Master Naturalist from the University of | ||||||
14 | Illinois-Extension; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon served in the ministry for 40 years; | ||||||
16 | he served at churches in Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, and in | ||||||
17 | Wilmette; he also served at First Presbyterian Church of | ||||||
18 | Peoria and retired as Pastor Emeritus of United Presbyterian | ||||||
19 | Church in Peoria; he co-founded the United Presbyterian Church | ||||||
20 | in Peoria; and
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21 | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon taught philosophy at Illinois Central | ||||||
22 | College and over 40 classes for the Bradley University Osher |
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1 | Life Long Learning program; he led programs and was a guest | ||||||
2 | speaker on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War throughout the | ||||||
3 | nation; and
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4 | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon was an active Mason and Rotarian who | ||||||
5 | was thrice named a Paul Harris Fellow; he achieved the rank of | ||||||
6 | Eagle Scout in his youth and continued to serve the Boy Scouts | ||||||
7 | of America as a troop leader, commissioner, and council | ||||||
8 | representative; he was a chaplain at the Ingersoll Rand Boy | ||||||
9 | Scout Camp; he served as the President of the Illinois State | ||||||
10 | Historical Society and as a docent for the Abraham Lincoln | ||||||
11 | Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield; he spearheaded | ||||||
12 | the drive to erect a statue of Lincoln in Peoria at the | ||||||
13 | courthouse site of his famous 1854 speech against the spread | ||||||
14 | of slavery; and
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15 | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon received numerous awards and | ||||||
16 | recognitions; he was proud to receive an Alumni Citation from | ||||||
17 | his alma mater, Mansfield University, for civic and | ||||||
18 | philanthropic work and honors from the Shinnecock Indian Tribe | ||||||
19 | in New York for his mediation; and
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20 | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon could often be found outside tending | ||||||
21 | to his garden or the church garden or just out hiking and | ||||||
22 | observing wildlife; he enjoyed spending time volunteering in | ||||||
23 | his community in a wide variety of roles; he had a gentle soul |
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1 | and a sharp, quick wit; he could always be counted on for a | ||||||
2 | warm smile, a corny pun, or a random, little-known fact; and
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3 | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon was preceded in death by his parents | ||||||
4 | and his stepmother, Betty Saxon; and
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5 | WHEREAS, Randy Saxon is survived by his wife, Anna; his | ||||||
6 | children, Heather (John) Blase, David (Dawn) Saxon, Jennifer | ||||||
7 | (Josh) Friedman, and Austin (Michelle Greenslate) Saxon; his | ||||||
8 | brothers, Jimmy, Kevin, and Shawn Saxon; his sisters, Peg | ||||||
9 | Arnold and Nancy Brown; and his grandchildren, Teslyn, | ||||||
10 | Rhiannon, Riley, Aaliyah, Saxon, Lizzie, and Jupiter; | ||||||
11 | therefore, be it
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12 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL | ||||||
13 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | ||||||
14 | The Reverend Dr. Randall Lee Saxon of East Peoria and extend | ||||||
15 | our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who | ||||||
16 | knew and loved him; and be it further
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17 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
18 | presented to the family of Randy Saxon as an expression of our | ||||||
19 | deepest sympathy.
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