MEMORIAL RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, It is with great sadness that members of this Chamber learned of the death of Philip J. Rock on January 29, 2016 at the age of seventy-eight; and
WHEREAS, The City Council has been informed of his passing by The Honorable Margaret Laurino, Alderman of the 39lh Ward; and
WHEREAS, Philip J. Rock, born "a Catholic, a Democrat and Cubs Fan" on May 4, 1937 to the late Joseph and Kathryn (nee Crimmins) Rock in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary followed by the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. Phil received his law degree from Loyola University School of Law in Chicago. Following his graduation, Phil began his legal career with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General; and
WHEREAS, In 1970, Phil was elected to the Illinois State Senate where he proudly served for twenty two years. During his time in the Senate, he became the longest serving President of the Illinois Senate with a fourteen-year tenure from 1979 to 1993. Phil leaves a legacy of having most of the legislation he sponsored passed into law; and
WHEREAS, Phil's bipartisan approach was marked by frequent backyard barbecues attended by lawmakers and lobbyists alike, where he would preside over the grill at his house near the Capitol. It was all about increasing the collegiality of the General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, Phil was known for his concern for the underprivileged. He was a champion for the voiceless and, as a result, was considered by his peers as a true statesman. He was most proud of the legislation that he sponsored to establish a school for the deaf and blind that was dedicated in 1988 as the Philip J. Rock Center and School. He also furthered laws creating the state's first Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Ace and requiring mandatory insurance coverage for newborns; and
WHEREAS, Phil was a member of many professional and community organizations and served on numerous charitable and philanthropic boards. He touched...
Click here for full text