MEMORIAL-US REP. TERRY BRUCE

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0835

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Full Text of HR0835

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HR0835 - 104th General Assembly

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HR0835
LRB104 21620 MST 37091 r
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

2

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3
Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of former
4
United States Representative Terry L. Bruce of Olney, who
5
passed away on April 17, 2026; and

6

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce was born in Olney to Lloyd and Janie
7
(Skelton) Bruce on March 25, 1944; he attended the University
8
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and then later the University
9
of Illinois College of Law; he married Charlotte A. Bruce on
10
January 31, 1965; and

11

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce worked at the United States Department
12
of Labor on issues related to farmworkers and on the staffs of
13
Congressman George Shipley and State Senators Philip Benefiel
14
and Tom McGloon; he practiced law at the Shumaker and Bruce Law
15
Office in Olney; and

16

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce was elected to the Illinois State
17
Senate in 1970 and was part of the Democratic study group
18
referred to as the "Crazy 8"; he served as assistant majority
19
leader from 1975 to 1984; and

20

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce served as U.S. Representative for the
21
19th Congressional District of Illinois from 1984 to 1992,

HR0835
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LRB104 21620 MST 37091 r
1
where his focus was on legislation that would improve the
2
lives of people in the district; he worked on bills to protect
3
food safety, the Clean Air Act, and a number of health care
4
bills and worker retraining programs; he also authored the
5
Plastic Recycling Act and sponsored the Home Health Care Act,
6
providing support to the families of Alzheimer's patients; one
7
of his proudest achievements was securing funding for the
8
establishment of the National Center for Supercomputing
9
Applications in his district; and

10

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce served as the chief executive officer
11
of Illinois Eastern Community Colleges (IECC) from 1996 to
12
2019, where he focused on programs that would serve every kind
13
of student; during his tenure with IECC, he was appointed to
14
the Illinois Community College Board, which renamed and
15
dedicated the Terry L. Bruce West Richland Center in Noble in
16
his honor in 2023; and

17

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce served on the board of the Mt. Carmel
18
Public Utility Company for over 30 years, becoming the C.E.O
19
and chairman of the board in 2014; and

20

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce loved being at his farm, sitting on
21
the porch with Charlotte, watching the deer and birds; he
22
enjoyed baking bread as a hobby and delivered many loaves of
23
his special recipe "Charlotte loaf" to friends; he had a cast

HR0835
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LRB104 21620 MST 37091 r
1
iron collection that he used to make vast quantities of butter
2
bean soup, chili, and peach cobbler; he was known for
3
remembering everyone's birthday and for his joy and excitement
4
when hearing good news; and

5

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce believed in democracy and the
6
importance of voting in every election, from the school board
7
to the Office of the President; and

8

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce considered his best jobs to be husband
9
and father, and his universe squarely revolved around his
10
family, especially his two daughters, who remained his highest
11
priority throughout his life; and

12

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce was preceded in death by his wife of
13
almost 60 years, Charlotte; his parents; and his in-laws Ansel
14
Chadwick "Sonny" and Jacquelyn (Davisson) Roberts; and

15

WHEREAS, Rep. Bruce is survived by his daughters, Emily
16
and Ellen (Joe Rupcich) Bruce; his brother, Kenneth (Rosalind)
17
Bruce; his sister-in-law, Janas (Dusty) Burton; his
18
brothers-in-law, Pete (Paulette) Roberts and Chad (Mary)
19
Roberts; and several beloved family members; therefore, be it

20

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
21
HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that

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1
we mourn the passing of former United States Representative
2
Terry L. Bruce and extend our sincere condolences to his
3
family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
4
further

5

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6
presented to the family of Rep. Bruce as a symbol of our
7
respect and esteem.

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