SR0171 LRB096 12137 GRL 24346 r 1 SENATE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 3 learn of the death of United States Army Sergeant Christopher 4 Abeyta of Midlothian, who passed away on March 15, 2009 in 5 Jalalabad, Afghanistan; and 6 WHEREAS, Sgt. Christopher Abeyta graduated from Bremen 7 High School in 2003, where he was a three-sport athlete in 8 school, excelling in track, football, and wrestling; he was 9 regarded by his peers as an excellent student who was polite 10 and respectful of others; and 11 WHEREAS, Sgt. Christopher Abeyta became a member of the 12 Illinois National Guard in 2002, where he served his country 13 with pride and distinction as a member of 1st Battalion, 178th 14 Infantry Regiment, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team based out 15 of Woodstock; he had served in Iraq from October of 2003 16 through early 2005 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom; he was 17 serving his second deployment in eastern Afghanistan at the 18 time of his unfortunate passing; and 19 WHEREAS, Sgt. Christopher Abeyta graduated in 2007 from 20 Harold Washington College in Chicago with an associate degree; 21 he had recently been working as a criminal background 22 investigator and wished to stay in the military and become a

SR0171 - 2 - LRB096 12137 GRL 24346 r 1 paramedic in the future; and 2 WHEREAS, Sgt. Christopher Abeyta was a self-described 3 writer who had kept a journal since he was 11 years old; he 4 also enjoyed reading, listening to music, and cheering up his 5 friends with his goofy sense of humor; and 6 WHEREAS, Sgt. Christopher Abeyta was the loving son of Paul 7 and Barbara (nee Smith); the only grandson of Elvira Abeyta and 8 Jim Vezina; the beloved nephew of Tom (Chris) Smith, Tracy 9 (Dave) Lohmar, Robert M. (Maureen) Smith, T.J. (Molly) Smith, 10 Margo (Rene) Canales, Peilo Garcia, Victor Garcia, Tony Garcia, 11 Lonny Abeyta, Fred Garcia, Roy Garcia, and Sandy (Junior) 12 Scardini; and the dear cousin of Kristy Barber, Emma Canales, 13 Erica Canales, Ariel Abeyta, Steven Smith, Carrie Smith, 14 Michael Smith, Bill Paul, Samantha Paul, Mathew Smith, Patrick 15 Smith, and Freddy Garcia; and 16 WHEREAS, Sgt. Christopher Abeyta's patriotism and courage 17 will be remembered fondly by his loving family, his fellow 18 soldiers, and the citizens of our grateful nation; therefore, 19 be it 20 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 21 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with 22 his family and friends, the passing of United States Army

SR0171 - 3 - LRB096 12137 GRL 24346 r 1 Sergeant Christopher Abeyta; and be it further 2 RESOLVED, That we honor the memory of Sergeant Christopher 3 Abeyta and his willingness to serve our country, which led to 4 him making the ultimate sacrifice; and be it further 5 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 6 presented to the family of Sergeant Christopher Abeyta as an 7 expression of our sympathy.