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1		SENATE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3		learn of the death of Harold Eugene "Gene" Dixon of rural Mount
4		Sterling, who passed away on March 21, 2015; and
5		WHEREAS, Gene Dixon was born in Quincy on June 23, 1936 to
6		Edwin Albert and Lydia Ann Dorsey Dixon; he attended Grove
7		School and graduated from Brown County High School in 1954; he
8		married Carlene Marrisco Husted on June 26, 1955 at the
9		Presbyterian Church in Mount Sterling; and
10		WHEREAS, Gene Dixon traveled the tri-state area for Burrus
11		Seed Farms, where he was regional sales manager for 35 years;
12		he also worked as sales representative for Bowes Seal Fast; he
13		hauled livestock for hire and operated his own auctioneer
14		business; and
15		WHEREAS, Gene Dixon showed hogs and sheep at the Brown
16		County Fair throughout his grade school and high school years
17		and served as Section 13 Vice-President of his Future Farmers
18		of America chapter; in the mid-1950s, he became interested in
19		judging tractor pulls and was in charge of the first pull held
20		at the Brown County Fair; in 1959, he began serving on the fair
21		board, and, in 1984, he was named fair board President and
22		continued as its leader for another 30 years until he retired

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1		in 2013; in 2008, he received the Illinois County Fair Person
2		of the Year Award; he served for almost 20 years on the
3		Illinois Tractor Pullers Association Board, 9 of those years as
4		President; he raised Standardbred horses and enjoyed watching
5		them compete; and
6		WHEREAS, Gene Dixon served in many capacities, including
7		with the Brown County School Board, the Farm Bureau, the Perry
8		Cemetery Board, the Elkhorn Township Clerk, and Little League;
9		he was also a member of the Hardin Lodge No. 44 Ancient Free &
10		Accepted Masons, the Quincy Consistory, and the Shriners;
11		earlier in life, he was a member of the Perry Methodist Church,
12		and for the last 60 years, he was a devoted member of the Mount
13		Sterling Presbyterian Church of Christ, where he served as
14		elder; he served on the Mount Sterling Farmers State Bank and
15		Trust Board of Directors for many years; and
16		WHEREAS, Gene Dixon loved taking his family mushroom
17		hunting in the woods and teaching them to fish with a cane
18		pole; and
19		WHEREAS, Gene Dixon was preceded in death by his parents;
20		his brother, Jon Dixon; and his brother-in-law, Edward Husted;
21		and
22		WHEREAS, Gene Dixon is survived by his wife of almost 60

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1		years, Carlene; his 3 children, Linda A. Dixon, Rhonda J.
2		Jachino, and Michael (Angela) Dixon; his 4 grandchildren, Jared
3		M. Jachino, Andrea J. Jachino, Regan A. Dixon, and Rylan M.
4		Dixon; his sister-in-law, Sharon Dixon; and several nieces and
5		nephews; therefore, be it
6		RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
7		ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
8		Harold Eugene "Gene" Dixon, and extend our sincere condolences
9		to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be
10		it further
11		RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12		presented to the family of Gene Dixon as an expression of our
13		deepest sympathy.