SR0245 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0245 LRB097 12052 KXB 55815 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of the Honorable Judge Charles William Chapman of Edwardsville, who passed away on May 15, 2011; and

WHEREAS, He was born February 18, 1942, in Granite City, the son of Earl William and Mabel Aileen (Huddleston) Chapman; he married Judith Ann (Severine) Chapman on November 23, 1963, at St. John Lutheran Church in Granite City; and

WHEREAS, He received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville in 1963 and his doctor of jurisprudence from Saint Louis University in 1967; he completed his coursework for a master's degree in economics in 1980 and earned his master of law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1992; and

WHEREAS, He was a chemist at the V.A. Hospital in St. Louis; he practiced law at the Chapman and Chapman Law Office in Granite City for 12 years; he then served as a circuit judge in the Third Judicial Circuit in Madison County from 1979 to 1988; he was elected in 1988 to the Illinois Appellate Court, Fifth District, and served until 2001; he served as an adjunct professor at Saint Louis University Law School from 1982 to 2001; and he had been a partner of LakinChapman LLC Law Firm in Wood River since 2001; and

WHEREAS, Charles W. Chapman received his Illinois bar admission in 1967; he was admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit in 1969 and before the United States Supreme Court in 1979; in addition, he was selected as Outstanding State Trial Judge in the U.S. by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America; he was the co-author of two books on legal issues; and

WHEREAS, He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Carpenter and enjoyed reading, cooking, and traveling; he will be remembered for the love and special times shared with his family and the cherished moments with his grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother-in-law, Loren "Curly" Springs; and

WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles Chapman is survived by his beloved wife of over 47 years, Judith Ann; his children, Christina (Steve), Thomas (Melissa), and Sarah; his cherished grandchildren, Samuel William Chapman, Silas Jerome Chapman, Eleanor Chapman Baker, Charles John Chapman Utgaard, and Margaret Utgaard; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Patricia and Duane Crews, Carol Sue Springs, and Sharon Kaye and Jim Hargraves; his brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, John and Dessa Severine and Janet Severine; as well as his extended family and many friends; 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 the Honorable Judge Charles Chapman; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of the Honorable Charles William Chapman as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.