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Obituaries

  • March 1, 2011 | People
    Melvin O. Moehle 1922-2011
    [caption id="attachment_18020" align="alignright" width="87" caption="Melvin O. Moehle"][/caption] Melvin Otto Moehle, 88, of Washington, Ill., passed away on Friday, Feb. 18, at Washington Christian Village. Melvin was born Sept. 17, 1922, in Okawville, Ill., to Walter A. and Minna Miche Moehle. He married Loraine Niermann on May 5, 1945, in Nashville, Ill. She preceded him in death on Dec. 9, 2007. Mel graduated from Washington University in 1944, where he was a member and served as president of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He was a World War II Navy veteran, serving aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Solomons, achieving the rank of lieutenant. After serving in active duty, he graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1948. In 1950, he and Loraine moved to Washington, where he worked for the law firm Heyl, Royster & Voelker in Peoria.
  • February 16, 2011 | People
    Gregory A. Adamski 1948-2011
    Gregory A. Adamski, 62, a Chicago civil and criminal defense attorney who was co-host of the WGN-AM talk show "Legally Speaking," died of an apparent heart attack Monday, Feb. 14, in his Chicago home, according to his wife and law partner, Karen Conti. Mr. Adamski and Conti had hosted "Legally Speaking" on Sunday nights since 2006, discussing and debating court cases and controversial legal issues. They were also managing partners of the litigation law firm Adamski & Conti and taught at the University of Illinois College of Law. During nearly 40 years as an attorney, Mr. Adamski tried hundreds of civil and criminal trials and argued more than 60 appeals. In 2001, he received the prestigious Elmer Gertz Award from the Illinois State Bar Association for representing the poor and advocating civil rights. The Gertz Award is presented by the ISBA's Human Rights Section Council. Read the full obituary in the Chicago Tribune
  • February 7, 2011 | People
    ISBA Laureate James J. Ahern Sr. 1930-2011
    ISBA Laureate James J. Ahern, Sr., 80, has passed away. From Ahern's 2001 induction into the Academy of Illinois Lawyers: To anyone who practices traffic law in Illinois, it is well known that the "dean" of the traffic bar is James J. Ahern, senior. His law firm – Ahern, Maloney, and Moran with primary offices in Skokie –concentrates in the defense of DUI and representation in other traffic matters. His reputation in the law has several dimensions. He is, first and foremost, an outstanding lawyer. He has appeared frequently in the Appellate and Supreme courts. He represents his clients' interests fully, professionally, and with compassion. He also is known far and wide as an unselfish teacher. For over twenty years, he has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Illinois Traffic Court Conference. His development of scenarios faced by traffic law attorneys and the panel discussion of these fact situations is a highlight of the annual conference. That part of the seminar is now referred to as "The Ahern Panel." Services have been held. In lieu of flowers, contributions to Rainbow Hospice would be appreciated.
  • January 19, 2011 | People
    Ray Mason 1918-2011
    Raymond H. Ray" Mason, 93, who founded Morton's first law office, passed away on Jan. 13 at Apostolic Christian Restmor in Morton. He received his bachelor's degree, in marketing, in 1942 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where, during the big band era, he played drums for four years with the Johnny Bruce Orchestra. A World War II and Korean War Army veteran, he served from 1942 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1952, graduating from Officer Candidate School and the Command and General Staff School, where he prepared for the anticipated invasion of Japan. He attained the rank of Captain. He served in the Army Reserve from 1946 to 1951. A lifetime member, former president and 50-year honoree of the Tazewell County Bar Association, he also was a lifetime member of the American and Illinois State Bar Associations and a past member of the Illinois State Bar Association's Committee on Judicial Advisory Polls. The ISBA named him a Senior Counsellor in 1999. Click here to read the full obituary
  • January 19, 2011 | Practice News
    Former Jenner & Block chairman Jerold Solovy dies
    [caption id="attachment_17174" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Jerold Solovy"][/caption] Former Jenner & Block chairman Jerold Solovy passed away Wednesday at the age of 80. Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride issued this statement on Solovy's passing: “We’ve lost one of the finest lawyers in the history of Illinois. If you say that, where do you stop the accolades.” Solovy began his career at Jenner in 1955 after graduating from Harvard Law. He became chairman in 1990 and was known for championing pro bono cases. Solovy also chaired the "Solovy Commission," which cleaned up the Cook County justice system after Operation Greylord. Read more about it in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune and Crain's Chicago Business. The Tribune also published an article on Solovy's legacy in 2007.
  • January 13, 2011 | People
    James C. Spangler 1924-2011
    James C. Spangler, 86, a World War II veteran and former partner in the law firm of Lapin, Hoff, Spangler & Greenberg in Chicago, died of heart failure Wednesday, Jan. 5, in his Elmhurst home. He was previously a longtime resident of River Forest. Born and raised on Chicago's West Side, Mr. Spangler graduated from Campion High School, a Jesuit-run boarding school in Prairie du Chien, Wis. Mr. Spangler attended the U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen School at Notre Dame University before serving with the Atlantic Fleet during World War II, his family said. After the war, Mr. Spangler received a bachelor's degree from Lawrence College in Wisconsin and in 1949 graduated from Marquette law school. After briefly working with the Cook County state's attorney and in the Illinois attorney general's office, he became an associate with the Chicago firm of Geary & Stagman, and later a partner in Kennedy, Golan, Morris, Spangler & Greenberg in Chicago. He retired in 1989 as a partner with Lapin, Hoff, Spangler & Greenberg Read the full obituary in the Chicago Tribune
  • January 10, 2011 | People
    Arthur N. Hamilton 1917-2010
    Arthur N. Hamilton, 93, the former presiding judge of Cook County Juvenile Court, passed away on Christmas Day at his home is south suburban Hazel Crest. Originally from New Orleans, Judge Hamilton was born into poverty and worked his way through Chicago-Kent Law School. In 1971, he was elevated to the bench as head of what was then called the Neglected and Dependent Children division of the Juvenile Court. In 1981, he was appointed presiding judge of the nation's second-largest juvenile court. He held that position until February 1992, when he retired at the age of 75. Read the full obituary in the Chicago Tribune
  • January 4, 2011 | People
    H. Karl Huntoon 1949-2011
    Former ISBA Assembly member H. Karl Huntoon, 61, a proud Moline man who valued and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of his family, his friends, his clients, and his community, passed away January 1, 2011, at Trinity Pathway Hospice, Bettendorf, Iowa, after a short battle with aggressive brain cancer. A time to celebrate Karl’s life will be held Sunday, January 9, 2011, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Moline Public Library. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the H. Karl Huntoon Memorial Fund, care of The Moline Foundation, 817 11th Avenue, Moline, IL 61265. This fund will be used to continue Karl’s efforts to continually improve the library and the community. Private family burial will be in Moline Memorial Park. Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd., Moline, is assisting the family. Karl was born December 19, 1949, in Davenport, Iowa, to Harry Kline and Margit Anderson Huntoon. During the summer of 1970, he attended summer school at Dartmouth College, where he met his wife of 38 years Andrea Dickgiesser. They were married July 29, 1972, in Woodbridge, Conn. He graduated from Moline Senior High School in 1968. He then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he received a B.S. with honors in Economics in 1972. He then received a Juris Doctor Degree from the College of Law at the University of Illinois in 1975. He was accepted to the Illinois State Bar Association on October 15, 1975, and the Iowa State Bar Association on August 19, 1992. He was also admitted to the U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois and the U.S. Tax Court.
  • January 3, 2011 | People
    William Evertson Phillips 1928-2010
    William Evertson Phillips, 82, of Oak Brook, formerly of Deerfield, died Nov. 14, 2010 at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. Mr. Phillips was born May 3, 1928, in Galesburg to Frederick Wisner and Ruth nee Johnson Phillips. He is a descendant of the Reverend George Phillips who came to this country in 1630 with the Puritans, and Major Moses Phillips who fought in the Revolutionary War. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Salvesen Phillips; and three daughters, Carrie (Anthony) Quinn, Anne (David) Gezon and Elizabeth (Bernard) Schaffer; he is also survived by two stepdaughters, Melissa (Kip) Carlson and Melanie Salvesen; he was the proud grandfather of Kathleen (Mark Reed) Quinn Reed, Michael (Jennifer) Quinn, John Quinn, William Schaffer, Richard Schaffer, Sarah Schaffer, Christopher Gezon and Caroline Gezon; and great- grandfather of Samantha Quinn Reed. Mr. Phillips was preceded in death by first his wife of 47 years, Frances Holcomb Phillips. He attended High School at Western Military Academy, in Alton, where he graduated with honors. He continued his education at Knox College, in Galesburg, graduating in 1950 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. While at Knox, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and Scabbard and Blade Honorary Military Fraternity. He received four varsity letters in swimming, and was Captain of the Knox Swim Team his junior and senior year. He received his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1953, where he received the prestigious U.S. Law Book Award. Upon graduating he worked for several firms before founding his own law firm, which eventually became Phillips, Healy and Allen. He practiced at 134 N. LaSalle Street in Chicago, for 35 years until he retired as President of the firm.
  • December 31, 2010 | People
    Karl Dexheimer 1942-2010
    Karl D. Dexheimer, 68, of O'Fallon, IL, born May 16, 1942, in St. Louis, MO, died unexpectedly Thursday, November 25, 2010, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis MO, surrounded by his loving family. Mr. Dexheimer was Of Counsel to the law firm Greensfelder, Hemker and Gale, P.C.. He graduated from Millikin University in 1964, and from Washington University School of Law in 1967. He was admitted to practice in Illinois, Missouri, and numerous federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States. He was a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (life member), a Fellow of the Illinois State Bar Association, a sustaining member of the Product Liability Advisory Council, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and a Founding Member of its Levere Memorial Foundation. Mr. Dexheimer served on the McKendree University Board of Trustees for 22 years where he was Treasurer of the Board, Chair of the Adminstration and Finance Committee and member of the Executive Committee. He also served as treasurer and vice president on the Board of the Belleville Area Humane Society.