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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MR. TERRY GARLAND, BELOVED ELECTRICIAN AT JOHN H. STROGER, JR. HOSPITAL OF COOK COUNTY (1957-2025)
WHEREAS, the Members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, together with President Toni Preckwinkle, wish to honor and memorialize the extraordinary life and service of Mr. Terry Garland, who departed this life on June 29, 2025, at the age of 67, and
WHEREAS, , Mr. Garland was born on July 31, 1957, in Chicago, Illinois, to Donna Garland, who owned a cleaning business, and Walter Garland, a proud electrician and long-standing member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 134, a union to which Terry himself would dedicate 43 faithful years of membership, and
WHEREAS, Mr. Garland overcame rheumatic fever in his youth, enduring a lengthy five month stay at La Rabida Children's Hospital. This formative experience instilled in him a deep empathy for children facing medical hardships, and a belief that small acts of kindness, such as fixing a toy, a video game, or a television, could bring immeasurable comfort to young patients, and
WHEREAS, beginning his career at the historic Cook County Hospital and later serving as Head Electrician at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital, Mr. Garland devoted nearly 30 years to ensuring the safety, functionality, and resilience of the County's largest public hospital system. He retired in 2022, leaving a legacy of excellence, selflessness, and professionalism that cannot be overstated, and
WHEREAS, his expertise extended far beyond technical skill. Colleagues and physicians often referred to him as a "knight in shining armor" for his unwavering readiness to respond, whether repairing malfunctioning call buttons, securing backup generators, or ensuring that Board of Commissioners' meetings were accessible to the public through reliable technical systems, and
WHEREAS, Mr. Garland was admired not only as a consummate professional, but also...
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