2020 -- H 8075 | |
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LC005365 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020 | |
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N | |
EXTENDING DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF IRWIN J. CHASE | |
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Introduced By: Representatives McLaughlin, Ackerman, Marszalkowski, and Ajello | |
Date Introduced: June 18, 2020 | |
Referred To: House read and passed | |
1 | WHEREAS, It is with utmost sadness that this House has learned of the passing of Irwin |
2 | Chase, beloved husband of Phyllis Chase for 59 wonderful years, devoted father of Michael |
3 | Chase and Bradley Chase and his wife, Rebecca, and the doting grandfather of his beautiful |
4 | granddaughters Lauren, Madeline, Hannah, and Julia; and |
5 | WHEREAS, Mr. Chase was born in Providence, the eldest son of the late Martin and |
6 | Helen Chase, the brother of Samuel Chase and his wife, Eszter, Marjorie Torgan and her |
7 | husband, Philip, and the brother-in-law of Ruthie Steinberg, and the late L. Saul Alpert and |
8 | Edward Steinberg; and |
9 | WHEREAS, At the age of eighteen, after graduating from Hope High School, Mr. Chase |
10 | enlisted and served with honor in the United States Army during World War II. His company had |
11 | been involved in the liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camp, and he was awarded a |
12 | Combat Infantryman Badge and a Bronze Star; and |
13 | WHEREAS, Upon his return from service, Mr. Chase graduated from Brown University |
14 | and joined his father in the family ribbon-making operation. As the business failed, Mr. Chase |
15 | began selling surplus ribbon during the 1952 holiday season and thus began the emergence of the |
16 | family’s “new factory store with no frills and attractive discount prices” and in 1953, Ann & |
17 | Hope formally opened its doors; and |
18 | WHEREAS, Together, Irwin and his father expanded their business to include five new |
19 | department stores. In 2001, with competition from national discount chains, the Chase’s exited |
20 | the department store business and once again successfully reinvented the company, opening nine |
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1 | specialty curtain and bath outlets, five dollar stores, and six garden outlets; and |
2 | WHEREAS, First and foremost devoted to his family, Mr. Chase was also highly |
3 | respected for his business acumen and had served on the board of directors of Rhode Island |
4 | Hospital Trust Bank and the International Mass Retailing Association. In addition, he was a |
5 | Rhode Island Commodore and had been inducted into the RI Heritage Hall of Fame in 2009; and |
6 | WHEREAS, Irwin Chase was a “kind, humble, and generous man” and he will be dearly |
7 | missed by all who were fortunate to have been a part of his extraordinary life; now, therefore be it |
8 | RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and |
9 | Providence Plantations hereby extends deepest condolences on the passing of Irwin J. Chase. |
10 | May his memory be for a blessing; and be it further |
11 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
12 | transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mrs. Phyllis Chase and Family. |
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