Obituaries

L. Stanton Dotson, age 79, of Charleston, succumbed to ALS at his home on August 8, 2017. Stanton was born in New Orleans, LA on April 27, 1938, the son of Charles W. and Adele Jahncke Dotson. He is survived by his wife, Nancy K. Dotson, children, and grandchildren.

Stanton graduated from the University of Illinois Champaign in May 1960 with a BA in Agricultural Law. While at the U of I, he was associated with the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, received two major awards for public service as a student, the MA-WAN-DA and SACHEM. He was a senior football manager for the Fighting Illini Football Team. He was a member of the Army ROTC. After graduation he served his active duty time as part of the ROTC Program and was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX. He continued service as a reservist reaching the rank of Captain. In 1961 he enrolled at Chicago Kent College of Law, graduating in 1964 and passing the bar exam in November 1964. He was hired as assistant state’s attorney by Ralph Glenn in Coles County Illinois in December 1964. In 1968 he was elected the state’s atorney and served until 1972 when he entered into private practice on Wabash Avenue in Mattoon where he remained as a sole practitioner until June 2014. He received recognition from the Illinois State Bar Association for fifty years in the practice of law in November 2014. His ALS diagnosis in January 2015 curtailed his activities, taking official retirement in January 2017.

Bart Mann, 60, died Thursday evening Aug. 24, 2017, at Herrin Hospital in Herrin. He was born April 2, 1957, in Du Quoin, to Kenneth B. and Mary Ruth (Sharp) Mann.

Bart was a well-known practicing attorney since July 1986 and a member of the Illinois State Bar Association.

He was a past master of Herrin’s Prairie Masonic Lodge 693; he revived and organized the Herrin Mayors Thanksgiving Day Dinner in 2001 and continued to serve the people of Herrin at the Thanksgiving Day dinner; He was also a member of Mensa Society; served on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity and also worked with Habitat for Humanity in both Herrin and Marion.

He was actively involved with the Dream Factory, a volunteer-driven not-for-profit organization that grants the dreams of children with critical or chronic illnesses.Surviving are a brother, Michael Mann of Blairsville; sister, Nancy McDonald of Herrin; nephew, Ryan B. McDonald of Herrin and a host of friends and clients thoughout the Southern Illinois region.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Rex L. Brown, 86, died on September 10, 2017. He was born on October 3, 1930 in Harvel, IL, the son of Loyd and Helen Sanders Brown. Rex is survived by his wife Marilyn M., with whom he enjoyed 67 years of blissful marriage and their 4 children: Bruce (Marilyn K.), Cynthia Zimdar (Bill), Britt (Laurie) and Brad (Michelle), 10 Grandchildren, 7 Great-Grandchildren, sister Sharon Rose Bright, and sister-in-law Sue Brown. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Max, sister Carole Ann and Step-mother Helen Martin Brown.

As a youth, Rex helped run his family grain farm, cattle ranch and Brown’s Grocery. They also ran a chicken production operation during WWII. Rex attended Knox College, graduated from Illinois State University and the University of Illinois Law School. While in college, he was a butcher, bartender, sports official, newspaper reporter, and photographer. Upon graduation from U of I Law School in 1957, Rex moved his family to Decatur to practice law. He was the senior partner at Brown, Hawkins & Basola, and had several distinguished lawyers in his firm throughout the years. He was loved by his thousands of clients, many of whom became friends.

James Bernard Sloan of Lake Forest passed away at age 82 in the comfort of his home surrounded by his loving family on the 50th anniversary of his marriage to Rose. Loving father of Matthew, Anthony (Courtney), Nora Joyce (Tim), Jimmy (Jenny) and Sean. From the west side of Chicago, fourth eldest of thirteen: Andrew, Betty, Mae, Maol, Theresa, Margaret, Ann, the late Ed, Tom, Jack, Kathleen, Philip. Grandfather to ten wonderful grandchildren.

James attended Mater Dolorosa Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, served in the U.S. Army, graduated Loyola Law School 1962, and served as Federal Prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago. Had a distinguished career as a class action antitrust trial lawyer for over 50 years.

Son of Irish immigrants, Barney and Sarah Anne, Jim maintained a close connection with his Irish ancestry. A major contributor to the Chicago Irish community, he helped establish Irish music schools in Chicago and County Down, Ireland, and served as president of the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago. Golfer, historian, intellectual, larger than life figure, he will be remembered for his overwhelming spirit and strength, but mostly for those he helped.