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Obituaries

  • January 4, 2017 | People
    William Celestin Murphy 1920-2016

    William Celestin Murphy (“Bill”), 95, passed away in Aurora, Illinois, on November 25, 2016.  He died just 10 days before his 96th birthday.  A respected and ground-breaking trial lawyer, during his 68-year career he represented people from all walks of life:  farmers, school teachers and school boards, factory workers and industrialists – even Illinois Supreme Court justices turned to him for counsel and guidance. 

  • January 4, 2017 | People
    Jack Samuel Ring 1932-2016

    Jack Samuel Ring died peacefully in Chicago on November 20, 2016, surrounded by family. He was the beloved husband of Hazel Gitlitz Ring and was predeceased in 2001 by his late wife, Susan Ring; loving father of Joshua (Melissa), Scott (Marina), step-father of Scott (Angela) and Jamie Gitlitz; cherished grandfather of Sydney, Jolie, Alex and Levi Ring, and Rachel and Jessica Gitlitz; loving brother of Miriam (late Walter), Norman (Bea) and the late Ida and Leonard; devoted son of the late Abe and the late Rose Ring.

  • January 4, 2017 | People
    John Dale Stobbs 1932-2016

    John Dale Stobbs, 83, died at 9:40 a.m. in his home on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. 

    He was born November 28, 1932 in Alton the son of the late John and Myrtle (Uphoff) Stobbs.

    He married Mary (DeCicco) on November 28, 1959 in Washington, DC and she survives. Also surviving are seven children; Tracey Stobbs Riordan of Ballwin, Missouri, Monica Jude Stobbs of Charleston, South Carolina, Elizabeth Dunn Stobbs of Chicago, John Dale Stobbs II (Rosario) of Godfrey, Mary Jennifer Margarida of Edwardsville, Stephen Stobbs (Katie) of Godfrey and Kathryn Santellano (Don) of St. Charles, Missouri, Fifteen grandchildren, and one sister; Janice Brown of St. Louis, Missouri. He was preceded in death by one son in law; Gerard Riordan and one grandson; Stephen "Danny" Stobbs.

  • January 3, 2017 | People
    Louis James Perona 1928-2016

    Louis James Perona, age 88, of Spring Valley, Illinois, passed away on November 17, 2016.

    Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:00 AM, Monday, November 21, at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church (St. Anthony building on Mautino Drive). Rev. Robert Spilman and Abbot Philip Davey will officiate. Burial will follow at Valley Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 PM, Sunday, November 20, at the church, as well as one hour before funeral services Monday, at the church. The Barto Funeral Home, Spring Valley, is assisting the family.

  • December 12, 2016 | People
    John J. Cassidy, Jr. 1925-2016

    John J. Cassidy, Jr., (Jack) of Naples, FL, Curraheen, Count Kerry, Ireland and formerly of Chicago, IL passed away peacefully on November 9, 2016. He was born December 7, 1925 to Margaret Fitzgerald Cassidy and John J. Cassidy. He is survived by his wife of 57 years Marilyn (nee Gariepy); loving father of John (Susie), Megan Walls and Mark (Pam). Loving Grandfather to Kaitlin Cassidy, Victoria and Christopher Walls, and Caroline, Claudia and Megan Cassidy. Brother of Mary Cassidy Burns (the late John), the late Margaret Cassidy Burns (the late Bart) and Barbara Cassidy DeSmet (Harry). Beloved uncle to many nieces and nephews.

  • December 12, 2016 | People
    James W. Marks Jr. 1956-2016

    James W. Marks Jr, 60, of Chicago, Illinois passed away November 4, 2016. Jim was born in Camp Lejuene, Jacksonville, North Carolina on October 27, 1956. He graduated with a BA with honors from the University of Chicago in 1979 and obtained a J.D. with honors from Tulane University in 1984. Jim had practiced law in Denver, CO and in Chicago, IL. Law was his passion and his true love. He was proud to be a part of the legal profession. He believed in giving back to the community--active in alumni work for the University of Chicago; a member of the board for GUILD (UIC), an organization supporting research into liver diseases and cancer; and worked as a field organizer and attorney in Iowa for Obama's Organizing for American and Victory Council.

  • December 12, 2016 | People
    Norman F. Cone 1925-2016

    Norman F. Cone, age 91, passed away Monday, October 24, in Seal Beach, CA. Norman was born on May 12, 1925, in Chicago, IL, to Dorothea and Maurice Cone. He attended Benton Harbor (MI) High School. He then was a tech sergeant during World War II in Europe. After the war, he attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and then earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola of Chicago Law School.

  • December 7, 2016 | People
    Willis R. (“Bill”) Tribler 1934-2016

    Willis R. (“Bill”) Tribler, a founding member and senior partner of the law firm of Tribler Orpett & Meyer, died early Saturday, December 3, after a brief hospitalization.

    An unquestionably brilliant lawyer and strategic thinker, Bill Tribler was admired as a mentor and friend to hundreds in the legal community, not only in Chicago but throughout Illinois. Bill specialized in the defense of civil litigation. He was a renowned expert in the fields of professional liability and insurance coverage.  Bill was very proud of being a lawyer and adhered to and championed the highest ethical standards. In keeping with those ethical standards, Bill served on the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) Oversight Committee from 2004-2014, and on the ARDC Inquiry Board from 2004-2013.

  • November 29, 2016 | People
    George B. Collins 1931-2016

    George B. Collins never let the heat of legal battle get in the way of his old-fashioned, courteous manner.

    “George was the absolute gentleman, always,” said Collins’ law partner, Adrian M. Vuckovich. “And he also had the best sense of humor.”

    That humor, Vuckovich said, was usually directed at Collins and not at others.

    “He would never talk about a case where he was successful,” Vuckovich said. “He hated to lose, but he could make fun of it.”

    Collins died Friday at his home in Chicago. He was 85.

  • November 29, 2016 | People
    Daniel Riess 1936-2016

    Daniel Riess handled many cases as a patent attorney for nearly 50 years, but by far his best-known work was when he represented the Keebler Co. in what came to be known as the "soft cookie wars."

    Procter & Gamble Co. alleged Keebler and two other cookie-makers, Frito-Lay and Nabisco Brands, infringed P&G's 1984 patent on "dual-textured cookies," which were crisp outside and soft and chewy inside. P&G marketed the cookies under its Duncan Hines brand; Keebler's version is called Soft Batch.

    Riess and many other lawyers spent years on the case until the suits were settled in September 1989, with Keebler and the other two companies paying P&G $125 million.

    John Alex, a partner in what is now the Cook Alex law firm, called it "one of the most major patent cases of all time."