Bill Text: IL HR0671 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Congratulates Fowler Connell on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Commends him for his service to the State of Illinois and the nation. Wishes him continued health and happiness.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-04-15 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Chris Miller [HR0671 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HR0671-Introduced.html

---

HR0671 LRB103 40027 LAW 71422 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives wish to congratulate Fowler Connell on the
occasion of his 100th birthday; and
WHEREAS, Fowler Connell was born on April 18, 1924; he
graduated Paseo High School in Kansas City, Missouri in 1941;
he attended Kansas City Junior College and graduated from the
University of Missouri in 1949; and
WHEREAS, Fowler Connell served as a petty officer first
class and a radarman in the U.S. Navy during World War II; he
was aboard the USS Boston (CA-69) during his entire length of
service from 1943 to 1946; during his time in the Pacific, he
experienced kamikaze attacks and supported forces in island
assaults post-Pearl Harbor; at 21 years of age, he witnessed
the end of the war from the deck of the USS Boston, which was
anchored off the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, where General
MacArthur accepted the surrender of the Empire of Japan; and
WHEREAS, Fowler Connell led a 40-year career in newspaper
journalism, beginning with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and
the Champaign News-Gazette in 1949; he then joined the
Danville Commercial-News in 1952, where he worked for 37 years
before retiring from his position as sports editor at the end

HR0671 - 2 - LRB103 40027 LAW 71422 r
of 1989; he was later honored by the newspaper in 2005, when it
published a book featuring a collection of his favorite
stories titled, Sports Through My Eyes, 50 Years of Sports
Coverage, with proceeds from the sale of the book and
companion audio CD supporting scholarships at Danville Area
Community College; and
WHEREAS, Fowler Connell began his second career as a radio
broadcaster on January 1, 1990, and he continued serving as a
member of the WDAN broadcast team on high school, junior
college, and local University of Illinois broadcasts until
2020; he appeared as a regular panelist on the WDAN Sports Talk
program for over 30 years, retiring from the show at almost 97
years of age; during his 71 years of employment as a newspaper
writer, editor, and radio broadcaster, he never missed a day
of work; and
WHEREAS, Fowler Connell supported his community in a
number of ways; he belonged to the Danville Golden K club,
where he served as president and lieutenant governor, and
volunteered at the Danville VA Hospital, Danville High School,
North Ridge Middle School, the Danville Township Food Pantry,
and a local retirement center, where he called bingo each
week, remaining active in local volunteer service until age
97; he spearheaded the establishment of the Vermilion County
Sportsmanship Award over 30 years ago, and he continues to

HR0671 - 3 - LRB103 40027 LAW 71422 r
serve on the award's local committee; and
WHEREAS, Fowler Connell, an icon of Danville and Vermilion
County, will celebrate his 100th birthday on April 18, 2024;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we congratulate Fowler Connell on his 100th birthday, commend
him for his service to the State of Illinois and the nation,
and wish him continued health and happiness; and be it further