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92_SR0437
LRB9216861RHrh
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to
3 express their sincere condolences to the family and friends
4 of Joseph P. Griffin, who passed away on May 3, 2002; and
5 WHEREAS, Joseph P. Griffin was a Chicago lawyer who spent
6 three decades on the Democratic State central committee and
7 had a front-row seat as Cook County's influence rose in
8 Illinois' Democratic politics; and
9 WHEREAS, Mr. Griffin was one of the longest serving
10 members of the State central committee, a key group in
11 slating the State's Democratic ticket, and was known as loyal
12 and approachable within State political circles, despite
13 maintaining a low profile outside of them; and
14 WHEREAS, Mr. Griffin was born in Chicago and graduated
15 from St. Rita High School in 1934; he received a law degree
16 from DePaul University in 1938, and in 1943 joined the United
17 States Navy, serving aboard a minesweeper in the Pacific and
18 North Atlantic until the close of World War II; and
19 WHEREAS, A public servant for much of his career, in the
20 mid-1940s Mr. Griffin was brought into the secretary of
21 state's office by Secretary of State Edward Barrett and
22 served in the office until 1952; and
23 WHEREAS, In 1952, Mr. Griffin, as a member of the State
24 central committee, supported the governor candidacy of Mr.
25 Barrett, and was out of his job after Mr. Barrett lost; and
26 WHEREAS, In 1953, Mr. Griffin opened a law office in
27 Chicago; he returned to the State central committee later in
28 the 1950s; and
29 WHEREAS, Mr. Griffin remained in private practice until
30 being appointed commissioner of the court of claims by
-2- LRB9216861RHrh
1 Governor Otto Kerner in 1963; he continued serving on the
2 State central committee into the 1980s, mostly as the State
3 party's treasurer; and
4 WHEREAS, Mr. Griffin retired from politics and government
5 service in the mid-1990s, but continued his legal practice
6 after that; and
7 WHEREAS, The passing of Joseph P. Griffin will be deeply
8 felt by all knew and loved him, especially his daughters,
9 Theresa Bekken, Mary Murphey, Joan O'Sullivan, Cathy Griffin,
10 and Carole Ruzich; and his 10 grandchildren; therefore, be it
11 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL
12 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
13 all who knew him, the death of Joseph P. Griffin of Chicago;
14 and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16 presented to the family of Joseph P. Griffin with our sincere
17 condolences.