Bill > SR0110

This resolution mourns the death of Robert Carl "Bob" Ericksen, a multifaceted artist, educator, and activist who passed away on January 29, 2025. Born near Seattle in 1941, Ericksen was an accomplished artist with degrees from the University of Washington and Cranbrook Academy of Art, and he taught at several colleges including Everett Community College and Eureka College. Together with his wife Joan, he was deeply involved in community organizing on Chicago's South Side in the 1960s and 1970s, and worked to document and preserve the cultural traditions of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana. In 1973, they founded The Sun Foundation, which created numerous programs for children and artists focused on creativity, science, and conservation. The resolution highlights Ericksen's diverse talents as a photographer, painter, metallurgist, and educator, as well as his collaborative work with notable figures like R. Buckminster Fuller and Studs Terkel. The Illinois Senate formally expresses its condolences to his surviving family, including his wife of 57 years, Joan, his son Brett, his brother Ron, and other relatives, acknowledging Ericksen's significant contributions to art, education, and community engagement.

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=110&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SR&SessionID=114&GA=104