MEMORIAL-BLAKE E. RODERICK

Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SR0711

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SR0711 - 104th General Assembly

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SR0711
LRB104 21319 ECR 36145 r
1
SENATE RESOLUTION

2

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3
to learn of the death of Blake Eugene Roderick, who passed away
4
on March 27, 2026; and

5

WHEREAS, Blake Roderick was born to Donald Eugene and
6
Alice Joanne (Spring) Roderick in Gibson City on January 20,
7
1957; he graduated from Lanphier High School in 1975, where he
8
served as student body president; he received a Bachelor of
9
Science in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University;
10
he was also a graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership
11
Foundation program, and he was honored to be a Rotary
12
International Paul Harris Fellow; he married Betsy J. Cramsey
13
in 2009; and

14

WHEREAS, Blake Roderick began his career with the Sangamon
15
County Farm Bureau in 1981; he became the manager of the Pike
16
County Farm Bureau in December 1981 and assumed joint
17
management of the Scott County Farm Bureau in 1987,
18
successfully shepherding the merger of the two organizations
19
in 2018; he was also instrumental in creation of the Two Rivers
20
Farm Bureau Foundation in 1994; he retired as executive
21
director of the Pike-Scott Farm Bureau in 2022; during his
22
tenure, the organizations he was a part of won many Liberty
23
Bell awards as well as top membership honors and program

SR0711
- 2 -
LRB104 21319 ECR 36145 r
1
awards at the state and national levels over many years; and

2

WHEREAS, Blake Roderick served as chairman of the Board of
3
Illini Community Health Care System, Illini Community
4
Hospital, and IHS Pharmacy; he served as vice-chairman of
5
Blessing Care Corporation, treasurer of the Illinois Council
6
for Food and Agriculture Research, director of the Illini
7
Community Health Care Foundation, vice-chairman of the
8
Community Foundation of Western Illinois and Northeast
9
Missouri Pittsfield, and commissioner of the Mid-America Port
10
Commission, where also he served as chairman from 2023 to
11
2025; he served on the boards of the Mid-America Intermodal
12
Authority Port District (Mid-America's Port), the Illinois
13
Presbyterian Home, and the U.S. Selective Service System, and
14
he held leadership roles in the Illinois 25x25 Coalition, the
15
Pittsfield Public Library, the Pittsfield Theatre Guild, and
16
other civic and community groups; and

17

WHEREAS, Blake Roderick was raised to the sublime degree
18
of Master Mason in 1995; he served as Worshipful Master of
19
Pittsfield Lodge #790 A.F. & A.M., the current District Deputy
20
Grand Master for the 13th Western District of the Grand Lodge
21
of the State of Illinois, a 32° Scottish Rite Mason in the
22
Valley of Quincy, an Ansar Shriner, and past president of the
23
Pike County Shrine Club; he was also a member of Carlock Lodge
24
#904 in Mechanicsburg; and

SR0711
- 3 -
LRB104 21319 ECR 36145 r
1

WHEREAS, Blake Roderick was baptized in and was a member
2
of the Third Presbyterian Church in Springfield; and

3

WHEREAS, Blake Roderick loved traveling with his wife,
4
visiting all 50 states, many state capitol buildings, five
5
continents, and many countries; he was an avid book collector,
6
focusing on Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, history, and
7
classic spy and detective authors; he was also captivated by
8
nature and the space program; and

9

WHEREAS, Blake Roderick loved his wife and his family, and
10
he was proud of their accomplishments; and

11

WHEREAS, Blake Roderick was preceded in death by his
12
parents; his brother, the Very Reverend Dr. Keith Richard
13
Roderick; his step-son, Donald W. McKee; his bonus sister,
14
Elizabeth Hanson; his father-in-law, Ralph Cummings; his
15
brother-in-law, Kevin Cummings; his grandparents; his uncles;
16
several aunts and cousins; and many friends; and

17

WHEREAS, Blake Roderick is survived by his wife, Betsy;
18
his children, LTC Evan (Natasha) Roderick, Jacob (Bridget)
19
Cramsey, Joshua (Olivia) Cramsey, and Rachel (Isaac) Viar; his
20
step-son, John McKee; six grandchildren; one step-grandson and
21
one step-granddaughter; his sister, Pamela S. (Austin)

SR0711
- 4 -
LRB104 21319 ECR 36145 r
1
Roderick; his sisters-in-law, Mary Beth Roderick, Tawny
2
(Roger) Benz, Pam (Paul) Frankenbach, and Ellen (Rob) Traman;
3
his step-mother, Patricia Roderick; his mother-in-law, Mary
4
Cummings; his bonus sister, Catherine (Kyle) Alexander; his
5
aunts, Sharyl Stevens and Nada King; and several nephews,
6
nieces, cousins, and friends; therefore, be it

7

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL
8
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
9
Blake Eugene Roderick and extend our sincere condolences to
10
his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
11
further

12

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13
presented to the family of Blake Roderick as an expression of
14
our deepest sympathy.

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