[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10623]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO JACK AND EVON KECK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JERRY WELLER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 8, 2006

  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jack and Evon Keck who 
recently pledged $1 Million to assist in the funding of Silver Cross 
Hospital's Emergency Department expansion. Jack and Evon Keck are 
constituents in my 11th Congressional District.
  The newly expanded Silver Cross Emergency Department will have the 
capacity to care for 60,000 patients annually. A new waiting area will 
also be added for children, with amenities like video games, flat 
screen TVs with VCR/DVDs and an aquarium that will catch the attention 
of the children and make the wait a little bit easier for parents.
  The Kecks are longtime residents and business leaders in Joliet, 
Illinois. Jack and Evon attended and met one another at Joliet Township 
High School. In 1942, only three months after marrying Evon, Jack 
joined the Seabees and served as a 1st Class Electrician in the South 
Pacific during WWII for three years. During this time, Evon worked for 
the phone company. Jack is a former partner of William Keck and Sons 
Electric Company and the original founder of the Joliet Equipment 
Corporation, which today is one of the largest motor repair and sales 
companies in the Midwest.
  As a business man, Jack was successful in selling the largest motors 
ever build to Pacific Steel. It took two railroad cars to transport 
each motor. He also purchased all the superchargers in existence that 
were used in B-29 airplanes. General Henry ``Hap'' Arnold, commander of 
the Army Air Forces in World War II and the only air commander ever to 
attain the five-star rank of General of the Army, ordered the purchase 
of nine car loads to be used in the planes supplying the Berlin 
Aircraft. At the age of 65, Jack bought the Wisconsin Steel Mill, 
dismantled it in the middle of winter, and moved it to Joliet to be 
cleaned and sold.
  The Ked's are the proud parents of two children, Ricky and Cynthia. 
Today, they enjoy spending time with their children, grandchildren and 
great-grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize other 
individuals in their own districts whose actions have so greatly 
benefited and strengthened America's families and communities.

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