SR0207 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0207 LRB097 11707 GRL 54767 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Robert Kirchner of Urbana, who passed away on April 17, 2011; and

WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner was born on June 23, 1956, in Joliet; his parents were Robert and Margaret (Keyser) Kirchner; he grew up in New Lenox; and

WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner attended Western Illinois University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy and political science in 1976 and his master's degree in political science in 1977; while attending WIU, he met his future wife, Gerri; they married on August 25, 1979, in Park Ridge; Bob and Gerri began their marriage in Urbana, where he attended the University of Illinois College of Law, and earned his law degree in 1982; and

WHEREAS, After earning his law degree, Robert Kirchner joined the Champaign law practice of Burt Greaves and Art Lerner, which became Greaves, Lerner and Kirchner, and later, Lerner and Kirchner; in 2002, he opened his own law office in Champaign and was later joined by attorney Ruth Wyman; as a highly skilled trial lawyer, he was an intelligent advocate for his clients and was known for his dedication to the law; he was diligent in his research and his knowledge of the law was the foundation of his legal abilities; during his career, he argued many cases before the appellate courts and the Illinois Supreme Court, winning several cases that established legal precedents; he was well known among his peers as a champion of numerous legal causes that other attorneys would not take on; and

WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner's interest in the law prompted him to run as a Democratic candidate for Illinois State Representative in 1996; despite losing the election, his campaign engaged public participation by hosting a series of monthly symposiums on key issues impacting state legislation, including education funding, crime, drug abuse and gun control, child welfare, women's rights, health care, employment laws, and campaign finance reform; and

WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner served on the Champaign County Board as the District 9 representative, appointed in 2001 and elected in 2002 to a 2-year term; as a member of the board's Democratic majority, he voted to pass laws to guarantee a living wage for all full-time county employees, prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of race, gender, or sexual orientation, and establish free dental care for low-income children; he served as chair of the county nursing home sub-committee and worked on the successful passage of the referendum proposal to fund its construction; he ran for election to the county board again in 2006, in which he lost a closely contested Democratic primary; and

WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner served as Vice President of the Champaign County Bar Association from 1994 to 1995; in 1994, he helped establish Best Interest of Children, a local non-profit organization dedicated to child and family advocacy, and served on the organization's board; and

WHEREAS, Robert Kirchner is survived by his wife of 32 years, Gerri; his sisters, Marlene (Dennis) Gallagher and Lorrie (Robert) Chaplin; his brothers, John (Carol) Burkhart, Ron (Laura) Kirchner, and David Kirchner; his brother-in-law, Paul (Sue) Geissler; his sister-in-law, Shelly (Paul) Kotecki; his 4 nephews; and his 7 nieces; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Robert Kirchner; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Robert Kirchner as an expression of our sympathy.