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1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3 to learn of the death of Martin Luther Bray III of Canton, who
4 passed away on June 8, 2024; and
5 WHEREAS, Martin Bray, the son of Martin L. Bray Jr. and
6 Ethel Dixon Bray, was born in Washington, D.C. on February 3,
7 1938; he was raised in Vienna, Virginia; he graduated from
8 Fairfax High School in Fairfax, Virginia in 1956; he served in
9 the U.S. Army in Berlin, Germany during the Cold War for three
10 years; he then moved to California, where he earned a Bachelor
11 of Science in Electronic Engineering from Pacific States
12 University in Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Science in
13 Computer Science from West Coast University in Orange County;
14 he married Janet D. Harris in Duarte, California on August 26,
15 1961; and
16 WHEREAS, Martin Bray worked as a design engineer in the
17 aerospace industry; he moved with his family to Wataga,
18 Illinois to start a business in 1974; he then worked as an
19 electronic engineer for Caterpillar Inc. in East Peoria for
20 eight years and at Sommer Products in Bartonville for 18
21 years; and
22 WHEREAS, Martin Bray pursued his dream of living and
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1 working on a farm when he purchased one in Missouri as a
2 weekend hobby; he then purchased a farm closer to his day job
3 in rural Smithfield in 1988, and he continued to farm until his
4 passing; and
5 WHEREAS, Martin Bray served his community as a member of
6 the Fulton County Farm Bureau, the Institute of Electrical and
7 Electronic Engineers, and the Wataga Village Board; he was
8 also a member of the Shirt and Skirt Square Dance Club of
9 Canton; he was a devoted member of Fiatt Independent Christian
10 Church, where he served on the Finance Committee; and
11 WHEREAS, Martin Bray enjoyed working on the farm, riding
12 his bicycle, reading, and spending time with his family; and
13 WHEREAS, Martin Bray was preceded in death by his parents;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, Martin Bray is survived by his wife, Janet Bray;
16 his sisters, Jean (Guy) Southers, Helain (Kevin) Steele,
17 Mildred (Andy) Blake, and Shirley Bray; his daughters, Karen
18 (Trent) Tucker and Deanna (Brett) Chatterton; his
19 grandchildren, Jason (Lauren) Chatterton, Joshua (Margaret)
20 Chatterton, Brittany (Nathaniel) Roberts, Alexander Tucker,
21 Josiah (Hannah) Chatterton, Bailey (Daniel) Taflinger, Brenna
22 Chatterton, AnnaMary Chatterton, and Hadassah Chatterton; and
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1 eight great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
2 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
3 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
4 Martin Luther Bray III and extend our sincere condolences to
5 his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
6 further
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