William R. Penn 1928-2018

Judge William R. "Bill" Penn died peacefully on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.

Born in Chicago to Frederick William (Bill) Penn (1971) and A. Marie (Moore) Penn (1976).

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Robert John Penn (2010); first ex-wife, Marilyn Penn (2002); stepson, Paul Sinchak (2007); and an infant twin brother of daughter, Laura at birth.

He is survived by his daughters, Laura J. Penn and Lee Ann Penn; and nephews, Matthew Penn and Jeffrey Penn.

Bill attended New Lenox Grade School, Joliet Township High School graduating with the Class of 1946, the University of Illinois, and John Marshall Law School. He passed the Illinois Bar Exam and began to practice law in Illinois in 1951. In December of 1951 he was drafted into the USMC during the Korean War and he was honorably discharged in December of 1953.

Following his discharge, he practiced law in Illinois with an office in Joliet, IL until July 1, 1983 when he was appointed Associate Circuit Judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Will County, Illinois. As the Republican candidate for the office, he was elected Circuit Judge in the 1986 election and retained for that office in the subsequent elections of 1992 and 1998, retiring to return to private practice in December 2000.

Judge Penn took piano lessons at the Joliet Musical College and became an accomplished professionally trained musician. In 1944 he joined Local No. 37 of the Musicians' Union and started playing professionally with various dance bands and smaller groups and as soloist for the next 70 years. In later years and at the insistence and request of Fr. Ted Berst, he became interested in playing the organ and was the organist at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Coal City for 14 years.

In his earlier years, Bill was a licensed pilot and enjoyed flying his plane on various excursions throughout the United States and also sailing on his boat on Lake Michigan.