Bill Text: IL SR0421 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Brigadier General Richard E. Northern, Illinois National Guard (Ret.).

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Passed) 2025-10-15 - Resolution Adopted [SR0421 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SR0421-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
to learn of the death of Brigadier General Richard E.
Northern, Illinois National Guard (Ret.), who passed away on
September 2, 2025; and
WHEREAS, BG Northern was born to Harold Perry and Wilma
Northern in Quincy on September 1, 1927; he graduated from
Quincy Senior High School; he earned a Bachelor of
Administration in Business and Accounting from Gem City
Business College in Quincy; he graduated from several military
schools, including the Chemical, Biological and Radiological
School in Camp Gifu, Japan, the Aberdeen Proving Grounds,
Maryland, where he undertook Atomic Weapons Training, the
Officer Basic Course, the Officer Advance Course, and the
Ordnance Field Grade Course, and the Industrial College of the
United States Armed Forces/U.S. Army War College, and he
earned credit hours in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps and
the Selective Service System; and
WHEREAS, BG Northern enlisted in the Illinois National
Guard on June 23, 1948; he served as a sergeant of the 126th
Service and Supply Company, which was sent to Korea in 1952,
where he was assigned to the 314th Ammunition Group; after the
Korean War, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the

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Medical Service Corps in 1955, serving in the Medical Company,
130th Infantry Regiment until 1958; he then re-branched to the
Ordnance Corps and was assigned as executive officer of the
126th Ordnance Company before being promoted company
commander, serving in that unit until 1965; during the Vietnam
War, he was responsible for training the 126th Service and
Supply Company and the 128th Service and Supply Detachment; he
was transferred as a maintenance officer to the 32D Ordnance
Battalion, and he was later promoted to major, holding the
position of battalion executive officer; and
WHEREAS, BG Northern transferred to the Illinois State
Headquarters on January 1, 1968, where he was assigned to the
Selective Service Section; he was promoted to lieutenant
colonel on May 19, 1971, chief of the National Guard Selective
Section on October 1, 1976, and colonel on June 16, 1977; he
was officially appointed as director of the Illinois State
Selective Service System on November 15, 1977, overseeing
three detachments and 15 Reserve Force Officers and being
responsible for the health and readiness of the State during
peacetime and in the event of draft mobilization; he served in
the Illinois National Guard for 39 years, retiring with the
rank of brigadier general in 1987; he continued serving as a
federal employee for an additional 28 years, retiring on June
23, 2015; and

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WHEREAS, BG Northern was a key contributor to the City of
Quincy, Adams County, and the State of Illinois; he served as
administrator of the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy (IVHQ)
for 24 years and as chief of its security for seven years; as
administrator, he oversaw construction of the All Faiths
Chapel and Eternal Flame, the former Kent Infirmary of Lake
Illinois, Koch's Garage, the Illinois American Veterans
Pavilion, and the American Legion Recreational Pavilion; his
duties also included ensuring the placement of several
memorials, including the Century Circle Memorial, the Memorial
Fountain, the Vietnam Memorial, the Korean Memorial, the
Shirlee Northern Memorial Garden, the Memorial for Korean
Medal of Honor winner CPL Lester Hammond Jr., and the World War
II Honor Roll Memorial, as well as directing the
rehabilitation and repurposing of the former Richard E.
Northern Guest House, the Illinois Veterans Home Library, and
the All Wars Museum; and
WHEREAS, BG Northern became active in politics after
returning from the Korean War; he was elected as a Republican
precinct committeeman, serving for 67 years, and as chairman
of the Adams County Republican Party, serving for 37 years; he
led several state and congressional campaigns, attended two
Republican National Conventions as a delegate, and served as
chairman of the Illinois State Republican Party; he also
served as a mentor and an advocate to many candidates and

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elected officials for state, county, and city office; and
WHEREAS, BG Northern owned and operated the real estate
company, Northern Realty, for 52 years; he brokered in the
states of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Texas, and some of his
most successful accomplishments included owning and operating
the properties of Wesley and Betty Hochgraber, Bayview
Storage, Riverview Storage, Franklin Square, and the Old
Quincy National Guard Armory; he also sold property to the
Salvation Army, known today as the Salvation Army Ray & Joan
Kroc Corps Community Center; and
WHEREAS, BG Northern was a life member of the Veterans of
Foreign Wars, American Veterans, Disabled American Veterans,
the Elks, the Reserve Officers Association, the National Guard
Association of the United States, the National Guard
Association of Illinois, the Korean War Veterans Association,
and the American Legion, serving as a member and past
commander of American Legion Post #37; he was a member of the
Quincy Lodge, the Quincy Consistory, the Quincy Shrine Club,
the Shrine Temple, and the Illinois State Police Association;
he was also a 33rd Degree Mason and served as president of the
Quincy Jaycees, national director of the United States
Jaycees, president of the National Association of State
Veterans Homes, and fund chairman of the local Red Cross,
Community Chest, and Cancer Fund; and

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WHEREAS, BG Northern received many awards for his military
service, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Overseas
Service Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Reserve
Component Achievement Medal, an Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Citation, a Meritorious Unit
Commendation, the Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf
Clusters, the Korean Service Medal with three Bronze Stars,
the United Nations Service Medal, the Selective Service System
Exceptional Service Award, the Illinois Distinguished Service
Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Guard Long and
Honorable Service Medal, the National Guard Perfect Attendance
Medal, and the Illinois State Active Duty Medal three times;
he was also named Executive of the Year by the Quincy Chamber
of Commerce in 1973 and First Illinois Veteran of the Year in
2015; and
WHEREAS, Northern is survived by his children, Natalie D.
(Todd Franklin) Northern and Richard E. "Rick" (Beth Parchim)
Northern II; his brother-in-law, Robert F. Niebur; his nephew
and niece, Brett (Cindy) Niebur and Angela (John) Niebur
McGrath; three great-nephews and one great-niece; and four
great-great-nephews and one great-great-niece; therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL

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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
Brigadier General Richard E. Northern, Illinois National Guard
(Ret.) and extend our sincere condolences to his family,
friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of BG Northern as an expression of our
deepest sympathy.