Bill Text: IL SR0773 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Dr. Thomas W. Nielsen Sr.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2010-04-23 - Resolution Adopted [SR0773 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-SR0773-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
learn of the death of Dr. Thomas W. Nielsen Sr., who passed
away on April 7, 2010; and
WHEREAS, Thomas Nielsen Sr. was born on August 15, 1922, in
Chicago; he was the son of Thorwald Peter and Nettie (Fladlien)
Nielsen; he married his loving wife, Lorraine, on January 30,
1949, in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Thomas Nielsen Sr. enlisted in the United States
Army on October 2, 1942, and served as a Platoon Sergeant in
Company C, 342nd Infantry of the 86th "Blackhawk" Division
during combat operations in France, Germany, and Austria; after
the German surrender, he served in the Philippines until his
honorable discharge on April 22, 1946; he was awarded the
American, European-African-Middle Eastern, and Asiatic-Pacific
Theater Service medals, among other service awards; and
WHEREAS, Upon his return to the United States after World
War II, Thomas Nielsen Sr. resumed his studies at the
University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, where he earned his
bachelor's degree in zoology, his master's degree in
physiology, and his doctorate in physiology; and

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WHEREAS, Thomas Nielsen Sr. began his scientific and
academic career by joining the faculty of the University of
Colorado Medical School in Denver; he was later appointed to
the faculty of the University of North Dakota Medical School as
a Hill Research professor, where he continued his research and
taught at the medical school; in the early 1970s, he was
recruited by Southern Illinois University and appointed as a
professor at the School of Dental Medicine, which brought him
and his family to Alton; he finished his professional career at
the National Institutes of Health, where he worked for more
than a decade until his retirement in 1989 as Chief of the
Cardiac Functions Branch; and
WHEREAS, Thomas Nielsen Sr. was a member of several
professional, scientific, and social associations, including
the American Society of Nephrology, the International Society
of Nephrology, the American Association for the Advancement of
Science, the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the
American Society of Zoologists, the American Association of
University Professors, the Association of American Medical
Colleges, the American Physiological Society, the National
Veterans of Foreign Wars Association, the Sigma Xi Scientific
Research Society, Zeta Psi Fraternity, and SCORE; he also
served as an elder of the First Presbyterian Church, where he
also enjoyed organizing and participating in events hosted by
its Over Fifty-Five Club; and

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WHEREAS, Thomas Nielsen Sr. enjoyed oil painting, fishing,
music, American Indian art, biblical archaeology, and
collegiate and Rams football; most of all, he enjoyed traveling
and dancing with his wife, fishing with his son, spending time
with his daughters, and being thoroughly entertained by all his
grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Thomas Nielsen Sr. is survived by his wife; his
children, Dr. Mary Nielsen, Dr. Joanne Graham, Thomas W.
Nielsen Jr., and Lisa Nielsen; his daughters' spouses, Dr.
James Shoemaker, Dr. Mike Graham, and Michael Moehn; his
grandchildren, Kate, Laura, and Joanna Shoemaker, Eric and
Matthew Graham, and Patrick and Anna Moehn; his brother, John
B. Nielsen; his niece, Kathleen Nielsen; and his nephews, Dr.
Mark Grauer and Dr. John Grauer; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
his family and friends, the passing of Dr. Thomas W. Nielsen
Sr.; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Thomas Nielsen Sr. as an expression
of our sympathy.