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Obituaries

  • March 31, 2017 | People
    James F. Ashenden, Jr. 1925-2017

    James F. Ashenden, Jr., a 3rd generation Chicagoan, age 92, died surrounded by loving family on March 18, 2017. Beloved husband of Phyllis Ashenden for 11 years and the late Mary Jane “Janie” Ashenden for 55 years, who died in 2004. Loving father of Tom (Beverly), John (Maureen), Bob (the late Georjann), Bill (Beverly), Dan (Mary), and the late James Ashenden, III. Proud grandfather of Katie, Sean, Dana (Tyler Smith), Catherine (Joe) Bozikovich, Helen (Evan) Gremillion and Patricia, Daniel Burke and Emily Jane; and great grandfather of Riley Ann. Devoted brother of the late Dorothy (the late Robert) Brice.

    Jim graduated from Loyola Academy and attended Notre Dame University while in the U.S. Navy Air Corps program during World War II. He received his bachelor’s degree and juris doctor degree from Loyola University. Jim was a World War II Navy pilot. He then started his legal career at the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. He went into private practice at O’Keefe, O’Brien & Hanson as an associate and eventually became a partner with the firm, then renamed O’Keefe, Ashenden, Lyons & Ward. As a devout Catholic, he was retained by the Daughters of Charity. He proudly represented them throughout most of his career. Jim was highly respected and went on to become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Jim retired from O’Keefe, Ashenden, Lyons & Ward when he was 70 years old. 

  • March 20, 2017 | People
    Jeffrey Andrew Walker

    Jeffrey Andrew Walker died January 31, 2017, as a result of a very aggressive and debilitating form of cancer. He died at home in the loving care of his wife and son.

    Jeff graduated from St. Ignatius High School Class of '74 iand s remembered by his classmates as a modest yet brilliant scholar-athlete. Jeff played varsity basketball; was highly ranked in his graduating class; an Illinois State Scholar; and won several State Latin Competitions. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College ('78) and a Juris Doctorate degree from Boston University Law School ('81). For thirty-four years Jeff offered his legal talents to defend those most in need first in the State Appellate Defender's Office and then with the Cook County Public Defender's Office in the Felony Trial Division with his last assignment in the Legal Resources Division which represents indigents in post conviction matters and appellate cases.

  • March 20, 2017 | People
    David C. Johnson 1937-2017

    David C. Johnson, 79, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, in Carbondale. He was born Dec. 11, 1937, in Finley, North Dakota, to Ben and Mabel (Carlson) Johnson.

    He graduated from Finley High School in 1955 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1959 from the University of North Dakota. He also was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the United States Army. David became a certified public accountant in 1960 and earned a Juris Doctorate degree in 1961 from University of North Dakota, where he was editor-in-chief of North Dakota Law Review. He earned the Masters of Law degree from University of Pennsylvania in 1964.

    David married Karen Erdman on Sept. 9, 1962, in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at Willow City, North Dakota. They made their first home at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia, and subsequently lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Decatur, Georgia; and Norman, Oklahoma, until moving to Carbondale in 1975. Karen died on June 23, 2016.

    David taught law for 40 years; first at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1964 to 1971; then at University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma, from 1971 to 1975. He joined the School of Law at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 1975 as a member of the founding faculty. His teaching areas were tax law, estate planning and property law. He served five years as associate dean at the law school, and was a member of the Morris Library Friends and the Board of Visitors, which was instrumental in initiating the 2009-11 renovation and rebuilding of Morris Library. He was a past president and strong friend of the University Library support group.

  • March 20, 2017 | People
    Michael J. Tague 1955-2017

    Michael J. Tague, 62, of Champaign, died the evening of Friday, Feb. 17, 2017 at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.

    Mike was born on Jan. 30, 1955, in Alton, the oldest child and only son of Charles and Loretta (Medlock) Tague. He married Lynn Warren on Oct 30, 1987. Mike was preceded in death by his mother.

    He is survived by his loving wife, Lynn; his father, Charles; two children, Collin Tague and Abigail Graham; grandaughter, Juliette Richardson (Baby Boss); two sisters, Mary (Dale) Busler and Victoria (Gene) Prairie, and two brothers-in-law Eric and Keith Warren.

    Mike graduated from Alton Senior High School in 1973, and went on to Bradley University where he graduated Suma Cum Laude in 1977. Mike completed his formal education at the University of Illinois in 1979 with a Juris Doctorate. He was a practicing attorney at the law firm of Flynn, Palmer and Tague.

    Mike's life was a colorful blend of friends, family, gardening and animals, and his quirky sense of humor always brought laughter to the mix. He was good at everything: he wrote short stories, made huge breakfasts, and he sang showtunes. Services have been held.

  • March 20, 2017 | People
    Paul Stone 1915-2017

    Paul Stone, 101, passed away February 11, 2017 at his home in Sullivan. Paul was born September 21, 1915, in rural Jasper County Illinois, the oldest of eight children of Claude and Ruth Stewart Stone. His family moved to Moultrie County in 1916 where his father farmed. Paul attended numerous one room country schools until entering Sullivan Township High School and graduating in 1933. Following graduation he worked three years in Sullivan at the Brown Shoe Company for 12¢ per hour, ten hours per day, six days per week. In 1936 he entered the University of Illinois where he met the love of his life, Thelma Jones, who he married February 5, 1939, in Benton, IL. In 1940 he received a B.S. in General Business, the first in his family to earn a college degree. In 1942 he received his law degree from the University of Illinois. He was honored by the UI Law School as its February 1973 Alumni of the Month.

    He was admitted to the practice of law September 14, 1942, and practiced law in Sullivan for 55 years until he retired as senior partner of Stone, Stone and Hanson in 1998 at age 82. Paul was a past president of the Sullivan Kiwanis Club and the Moultrie County Bar Association.In 1950 he was elected as a State Representative to the 67th General Assembly from the 24th District [Moultrie, Champaign and Piatt counties] and served one term.

    In 1961 he was appointed by Governor Otto Kerner to the Teacher’s College Board for Eastern Illinois, Northern Illinois, Western Illinois and Illinois State Universities. He served as Chairman in 1965-1966.

  • March 20, 2017 | People
    Richard Rassmussen 1935-2017

    Richard "Dick" Rasmussen, 81, of LaHarpe, died Feb. 15, 2017, at Memorial Hospital, Carthage. He attended the University of Iowa College of Law and began his career as a lawyer in LaHarpe in 1963, where he practiced for decades. He served as LaHarpe City Attorney for more than 40 years. Services have been held. 

  • March 15, 2017 | People
    Mary L. Sfasciotti 1941-2017

    Prominent Chicago immigration attorney Mary L. Sfasciotti died February 26 after a long illness. The daughter of Joseph and Lilia Sfasciotti, Attorney Sfasciotti was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin on November 5, 1941. She earned her law degree in 1965 from Northwestern. She started her legal career as an attorney for the Immigrant's Service League, a non-profit in Chicago. She then went on to work for the US Board of Immigration Appeals for several years. Thereafter, she was trial counsel with the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Illinois, and then Assistant Regional Counsel for EEOC. From the early 1980s, until she was forced to retire due to illness, she was in private practice in the Chicago area where she specialized in immigration law. She was a published author in the field of immigration law and taught immigration law at John Marshall Law School. She was active in the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association and the Alumni Associations of both Ripon College and Northwestern Law School. She is survived by her brother, Robert Sfasciotti, and her sister, Ginevra Cuira. Services have been held.

  • March 15, 2017 | People
    Roger Benson 1932-2017

    Former Kankakee County Associate Judge Roger Benson, 84, died February 10 at his Bourbonnais home. He had been battling health problems for a few months. Last June, he received the Illinois State Bar Association's John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Award in the outstanding individual attorney category. 

    Benson practiced law for 58 years. He studied pre-law at Northwestern University and received his law degree in 1958 from DePaul University. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, a son, two daughters, a stepson and two stepdaughters. He was preceded in death by a son. Services have been held.

  • March 15, 2017 | People
    Allen Landmeier 1942-2017

    Allen Landmeier, 74, died on Saturday, February 25 after a long illness. He is survived by his wife Charlotte, sons; Matthew (Megan), Mark (Karen), and Michael (Anna), and granddaughters Eleanor, Caroline, and Charlotte Landmeier. The son of Vernon and Eleanor Landmeier, Allen was born on November 24, 1942 in Elmhurst. On July 8, 1978 he married Charlotte (nee Ekern) at the Geneva United Methodist Church. He was a graduate of St. Charles High School and received his bachelors and law degrees from Valparaiso University. An active member of and contributor to the ISBA, he was editor of the State and Local Taxation Section newsletter for more than 20 years. He won the Austin Fleming Newsletter Editor Award in 1997, the newsletter program's highest honor. He was Lieutenant in the US Navy Judge Advocate General Corps, city attorney of St. Charles, and senior partner at Smith, Landmeier, and Elders, PC in Geneva until his retirement. He was a past president of the Kane County Bar Association. Services have been held.

  • March 15, 2017 | People
    Roy Claybourn Palmer 1935-2017

    Roy Claybourn Palmer died February 27, 2017. He was born in Kearney, Missouri on August 9, 1935 and moved to Chicago shortly after his birth. After serving in Korea with the US Army 7th Cavalry, he married his first wife, Nancy Barclay and had three children, Claybourn John Palmer, Heather Ann Palmer Roberts and Allyson Lynn Palmer. He started his professional life with the Federal Trade Commission then followed into the private sector, eventually starting his own firm. Focusing on business law, among others practice areas, he represented the Visiting Nurses Association and the Illinois State Savings and Loan Association. He attended Chicago's Lake View HS, Lake Forest College and Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate with Honors. He established and endowed the Roy C. Palmer Civil Liberties Prize at Chicago-Kent College of Law for writings that explore the tension between our civil liberties and national security in contemporary American society. In 1983 he married Susan Marie Kelly. Shortly thereafter they embarked on an adventure that would change the world of many Native American tribes. As a pioneer in the Native American Gaming Industry, he was said to have "found a loophole in the law and drove a mack truck through it". He worked most notably for the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin who awarded him their highest honor by presenting him with an Eagle Feather. From California to Florida he fought many legal battles to gain the tribes their gaming rights.