RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske has been called to eternal life by the wisdom of God at the age of 92; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of his passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, A resident of Bull Valley, Kenneth Fiske was a leading McHenry County conservationist and the loving husband of the late Darlene; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske was the much-adored father of Jennifer, Diana and Nancy, the grandfather of two and the great-grandfather of two to whom he imparted many of the fine and noble qualities that he possessed in abundance; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske was the dear brother of Virginia; and
WHEREAS, A native of Chicago, Kenneth Fiske attended the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and served his country during World War II as a member of the United States Navy; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske was introduced to the beauty of nature as a young boy when his father, a lawyer, purchased 160 acres of farmland in Bull Valley; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske married his wife in 1954 and the couple moved to the family farm and renovated a Civil War era schoolhouse on the property that they converted into their home; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske headed the McHenry County Conservation District in the 1970s and 1980s and made it his mission to acquire as much open land as possible to ensure its preservation; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske served for thirty years as a member of the Board of Directors of the McHenry-Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske became the first Executive Director of the McHenry County Conservation District in 1971 and served in that role until 1985; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske was the Founder of the Northeast Illinois Natural Resource Center based in the Morton Arboretum in Lisle and chaired the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission; and
WHEREAS, In 2004 Kenneth Fiske was inducted in 2004 into the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame by the Illinois Conservation Foundation; and
WHEREAS, The hard work, sacrifice and dedication of Kenneth Fiske serve as an example to all; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Fiske was an individual of great integrity and accomplishment who will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by his many relatives, friends and admirers; and
WHEREAS, To his beloved family, Kenneth Fiske imparts a legacy of faithfulness, service and dignity; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this twenty-eighth day of February, 2018, do hereby commemorate Kenneth Fiske for his grace-filled life and do hereby express our condolences to his family; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Kenneth Fiske.
Alderman - 14th Ward