Bill Text: IL SR0562 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Robert William Haisman of Oak Park.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-11-09 - Resolution Adopted [SR0562 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SR0562-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
to learn of the death of Robert William "Bob" Haisman of Oak
Park, who passed away on September 2, 2023 at the age of 77;
and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman was born in Chicago on October 7,
1945; he grew up in Berwyn, and his childhood was filled with
playing outside and spending time with friends; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman spent the Saturdays of his childhood
working with his father, Louis, who was a strong union
activist and worked for the Sunbeam Corporation; at an early
age, he also began accompanying his mother, Mildred, on
political errands, which ranged from raising awareness of
Democratic candidates to ringing doorbells to ask for support;
and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman loved learning; when he was in fifth
grade, a teacher called his parents and encouraged them to
send him to college, so they made it their mission to do so;
and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman attended Morton West High School and
graduated in 1963 at the age of 17; his summer job that year

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was working in the American Federation of Labor and Congress
of Industrial Organizations' Chicago headquarters, where he
saw a flier for a bus to attend the March on Washington for
Jobs and Freedom; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman took the 19-hour bus ride to
Washington, D.C., his first visit to the nation's capital, and
heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech
in-person, an experience that moved him profoundly and spoke
to his core belief that all men are created equal; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman attended Morton Junior College for
two years; he then enrolled at Illinois State University; in
1968, he graduated with both a bachelor's degree and a
master's degree; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman was hired shortly after his
graduation to teach history at Hinsdale South High School,
making many lifelong friends with fellow teachers and
cultivating positive relationships with his students who
affectionately nicknamed him "Hais"; and
WHEREAS, When he began working, Bob Haisman immediately
joined the Hinsdale High School Teachers' Association,
starting his lifelong commitment to fighting for the rights of
students and teachers; during his over 30-year career at

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Hinsdale, he helped organize events to raise money for student
activities and became a leader in every fight for better
working conditions and wages for school staff; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman took a six-year leave from teaching
to serve two terms as president of the Illinois Education
Association; he worked tirelessly with Executive Director Clay
Marquardt to create a positive framework for serving districts
across the State; during this time, he lobbied then-State
Senator Barack Obama, urging him to support various bills that
aimed to improve education quality in Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman loved working with students, and
teaching showcased his heart and soul; his sense of humor,
work ethic, and treatment of his students as young adults, not
children, guaranteed that he was a hit; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman continued working hard later in life,
focusing on a number of issues, including social justice,
poverty, hunger, gun violence, and more; his allegiance to
liberal activism and causes was demonstrated in his work as a
precinct captain for State Senator Phil Rock and his work with
State Senator Don Harmon and the Democratic Party of Oak Park,
where he inspired and encouraged many and served as the
longtime leader of the Farmer's Market crew; he had an
extensive history of volunteering for former President Barack

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Obama, helping with his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign, his 2008
presidential campaign, and his 2012 re-election campaign; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman and his wife, Janet, loved sharing
holiday and travel experiences with their nieces and nephews,
which included an overland trip from Germany to Russia, a
safari experience in Tanzania, and a visit to Australia; for
their 40th wedding anniversary, celebrated in July of 2023, he
and Janet took an Ohio River cruise; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman greeted life with gusto and never
stopped his pursuit of knowledge; as a champion for the rights
and responsibilities of students and teachers, a good
listener, and a loyal friend, he will be missed in
unforeseeable ways; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman was preceded in death by his parents;
his brother, Wayne; his brother-in-law, David; his
sister-in-law, Grace; and many friends; and
WHEREAS, Bob Haisman is survived by his wife; his nephews
and their families, Dale (DeDe, Chris, and Caitlin) and Brett
(Tammie, Shannon, and Sam); his former sisters-in-law, Diane
and Margie; his brother-in-law, Jack Knowles and his children
and their families, Jacqui (Trish), Ben (Elizabeth and
Maisie), and Rachel (Ashley, Kenzie, and Claire); and his

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brother-in-law David's children, Juliet (Sage, Lindsey, and
Autumn) and Adam (Alma, Camila, and Victoria); therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
Robert William "Bob" Haisman and extend our sincere
condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
him; and be it further