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Morton A. Kier of Elmwood Park, respected attorney for over 50 years, died at age 88. He was also a talented and passionate trumpet player and music teacher. He is survived by his wife, Louise Olivo-Kier; his daugther, Cheryl (Mike Procter) Kier; and his son, Brian Kier. Services have been held.
Penny Nathan Kahan, nee Schwartz, formerly Penny Nathan Furhman, age 72, died after a long battle with ovarian cancer. She is survived by her husband Brian Burrows and sons Daniel Furhman (Claire Sebastian) and Noah Furhman (Karina).
She was born in Chicago, attended Sullivan High School, earned a B.A. from Roosevelt University in 1966, did graduate work at the University of Chicago, and earned a J.D. from Berkeley Law in 1978. She worked in the state's attorney's office and founded the law firm of Penny Nathan Kahan and Associates in 1983.
Her career as an attorney was focused on helping people who suffered from workplace unfairness and discrimination. She was one of the co-founders of The National Employment Lawyers Association in 1985 and the founder of its Illinois affiliate. In 2000 she was elected a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Law and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation in 2002. In 2008 she was recognized as one of the Top Ten Woman Lawyers in the state representing individual consumers of legal services. She closed her practice in 2010 due to complications from her illness.
In lieu of flowers please donate to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Illinois Chapter, illinois@ovarian.org. A celebration of her life will be held at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 8851 Skokie Blvd (at Niles Center Road) on Sunday, February 19 at 2PM.
Eugene Dechter, Buffalo Grove, died at age 81. He is survived by his wife, Iris Sinitch; and sons Larry (Patti), Mark, and Bradley (Lisa) Dechter. He was a lawyer with the Chicago Park District, Ash & Dechter, and Dechter & Dechter, and a 50 year member of the Illinois State and Chicago Bar Associations. Services have been held.
Honorable Retired Judge Francis X. Mahoney of Freeport died Friday, February 3, 2017. He is survived by brothers Johnny, Tommy and David who all live in the Boston area; his son, the Honorable Judge P Michael Mahoney (Cris) of Freeport; grandchildren Dan (Kim) and Tim Mahoney both of Freeport; and step grandchildren Jeff Pukacz (Michelle) of Bloomington and Julie MacAllister (Matt) of Sycamore.
He attended St John's Prep and Boston College before he enlisted in the Navy in 1943. He served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946. After his discharge he attended Northwestern University Law School on the GI Bill and received his Law Degree in October of 1948. He moved to Ashland, Wisconsin in 1948 and he began practicing law there. In 1951 he moved to Park Falls, Wisconsin to practice law with Arthur DeBarteleben. In 1955 he moved to Freeport, and in 1962 he formed a law partnership with Harold Nettles.
James W. Ryan of Hillside, age 81, died January 28, 2017. He is survived by his wife, Theresa, and nephews and nieces Lynne (John) Rooney, Barbara (Joe) Martin, Chris (Colleen) Kamin, Patrick, Kevin, Kate and Bryan Kamin. He worked as a Cook County Assistant States Attorney for more than 50 years. Services have been held.
Michael White Clancy, accomplished attorney and ardent animal lover, died in Wayne, Illinois on February 4, 2017 at the age of 57. He is survived by his wife, Michelle; parents Wendell and Kay Clancy of Wayne; siblings Scott, Tim, and Susan (Boles); and 11 nieces and nephews.
He was born in Durham, North Carolina on June 29, 1959. He graduated from St. Charles High School in 1977, where he was class president and captain of the varsity hockey and baseball teams. He attended Amherst College in Massachusetts, graduating with honors in 1981 while playing on the hockey team.
Like his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, he pursued a law degree, graduating from Boston College Law School in 1984. He practiced law in a large firm in Worcester, Massachusetts before founding his own firm near Cherry Valley, Massachusetts in 1987.
He relocated back to the Fox River Valley in 1992 to become a partner in the family law firm in St. Charles, where he practiced with his father, brother, and sister. Beginning in 2015, he operated a successful litigation and mediation practice in St. Charles. He was a frequent lecturer and author in the areas of litigation and trial practice. He actively supported animal rescue and welfare organizations. The Court Case Dog Program at Safe Humane was close to his heart.
Peter Edward Pates, age 77, of Waukegan, died on January 27, 2017 at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. He was born in 1939 in New York, NY. Peter was an Illinois attorney since 1972, working in the Lake County States Attorney's Office and subsequently in private practice.
He was an avid Baltimore Orioles fan and enjoyed nature, hunting, photography, reading and crossword puzzles. Always seeking knowledge, his Bible was close at hand along with the world Atlas.
He is survived by son Chris (Carol) of East Haven, CT, son Andy of Chicago, and daughter Sarah (Kerry) of Chicago; grandchildren Nick, Garret, Miles, Sophia, Justin, Katie and Charlie. Also survived by his longtime sweatheart, Mary Ann Olson of Waukegan and, son Tom of Lake County, daughter Carrie Ward of Margate FL, and daughter Dawn of Kenosha, Wi; grandchildren Nick, Natalie, Emily, James, Tiffany, Dalton, Tyler and Lance. Services have been held.
Thomas Nettles was born January 21, 1944 the son of Harold and Garnet (Jeffrey) Nettles and passed away at home on January 14, 2017 after an extended illness.
Tom graduated from Freeport High School in 1962, where he participated in sports and theatre. He graduated from University of Illinois where his talented voice allowed him to tour and perform in Europe with the Glee Club. He then graduated from Chicago Kent Law School and became licensed as an attorney. Tom became a manager at Rockford Country Club, owned and operated the Plantation Restaurant in Rockford, and resumed the practice of law in Freeport, where he practiced from 1987-2016.
Tom's memberships included: Embury united Methodist Church, Freeport Country Club, Illinois State and Stephenson County Bar Associations, Aircraft Owner and Pilot Association, Alpaca Owner and Breeder Association.
Tom is survived by his wife of 30 years, Judy, brothers Al and Steve, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Sharon Lohmeier. A celebration of Tom's life will be held at a later date to be announced. A memorial has been established in his memory.
John L. “Jack” Aulvin, 82 of Albion, died at 4:04 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017 at Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney.
Mr. Aulvin was a Navy Veteran and was an attorney in Mount Carmel for over 25 years. He was born Feb. 22, 1934, in Edwards County, to George and Mary Claudine (Walsh) Aulvin.
Jack is survived by daughters Valerie (David) Reidling of Plano, Texas, Brooksie (Steve) Austin of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Natalie Aulvin of Nashville, Tennessee; three grandchildren; sisters Sarah Loffredo of Georgetown, Texas and Martha Klestinski of Cincinnati, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother George Ray Aulvin.
Herman Carl Runge, Jr. (Carl) of Collinsville passed away on December 31, 2016 surrounded by his wife and daughters.
Carl was born on September 27, 1932 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin to Herman Runge, Sr. and Clara Hertzberg Runge. He attended St. John's Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin, received his B.A. from Grinnell College and law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.
He was a lieutenant in the Air Force serving during the Korean War. After the war, he worked as an air traffic controller before earning his law degree. During law school, he sailed on Lake Mendota by day and he lived above and worked in a bar by night to pay for his tuition. From 1962-1968, Carl served as an attorney examiner working in the Administrative Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. After Bobby Kennedy became the Attorney General, he became one of the "Irish Mafia," a group of 12 lawyers who would travel three months at a time for Kennedy and then return to Washington, D.C. for three months.
He enforced federal civil rights laws as a special assistant in New Orleans, advocating for the first women and African Americans to be allowed on federal juries. He also worked in Jackson, Hattiesburg and Oxford, Mississippi, as well as Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma, Alabama including representing freedom riders when they were arrested