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Obituaries

  • July 13, 2016 | People
    Gary Lawrence Avril 1952-2016

    Gary Lawrence Avril, age 63, died on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 surrounded by family and friends at the University of Chicago hospital. Gary was born June 16, 1952 in Oak Park, Illinois to Lawrence Paul Avril and Helen May Avril, nee Schroeder. 

    Eldest of two children, Gary grew up in Hinsdale, Illinois and attended Hinsdale Central High School. Following his high school graduation, Gary left for Champaign, Illinois to attend the University of Illinois. There, he earned his undergraduate degree in engineering -- but more importantly, met and fell in love with his future wife of nearly 40 years, Vicki Lee Avril, nee McMahon. 

  • July 13, 2016 | People
    Colleen T. Shaughnessy 1966-2016

    Colleen T. Shaughnessy, 49, of Chicago, IL, died June 7 surrounded by her loving family at Illinois Masonic Hospital, after a yearlong courageous attempt to recover from a severe stroke she suffered in June, 2015. Colleen was born in Chicago on June 21, 1966 to Joseph M. and Maureen M. Shaughnessy (nee Scanlon). Colleen graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1988 and DePaul University College of Law in 1991. Colleen was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at the University of Illinois. Colleen married James R. Nelson on September 23, 1995, and together they had two children, Colette (15) and Liam (11).

  • July 13, 2016 | People
    Alverna M. Paulan Wagner 1926-2016

    Alverna M. Paulan Wagner. Passed away peacefully on June 6, 2016 at a still sharp 90. Retired Foreign Patent Attorney for Mobil Oil and Squibb Inc. Worked with Dr. Percy Julian on Soya research at Glidden after Mundelein College. Graduated with J.D. degree from DePaul University Law School. Resident at The Clare's Independent Living in Streeterville. Beloved wife of the late Harold M. Wagner; fond stepmother to Beth Dougherty, Nancy (Luke) LaValle and Harold Jr. Dougherty and LaValle great- and grandchildren; daughter of the late James E. and Alvina Paulan Sr.; dear sister to the late James E. (Jeannine) Paulan Jr., and the late Rita (Norbert) Fuller, Colette McCarthy, Darlene Paulan and Kenneth (Angela) Paulan; many nieces and nephews and her beloved Shih Tzu, Lucie Ann.

  • July 6, 2016 | People
    Rodney Brent Fetterolf 1966-2016

    Rodney Brent Fetterolf, 49, of Dixon, died Saturday, June 4, 2016, at his home. He was the general counsel for American Surveying & Engineering (ASE), a firm with offices in Dixon, Aurora, and Chicago, that performs professional surveying and engineering contracts across the Midwest for large-scale, infrastructural projects. Mr. Fetterolf had a Bachelor of Arts degree in rhetoric from the University of Illinois (Champaign–Urbana), a Juris Doctorate degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law, and he completed additional studies in civil engineering. Brent was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2000 and returned in 2006 to practice in his hometown of Dixon. He also was a member of Lee County Bar Association and Mensa.

  • July 5, 2016 | People
    Lawrence Vernon Frye 1920-2016

    Lawrence Vernon Frye, 95, formerly of Sterling, died Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at Brighton Gardens, St. Charles. He was a lawyer in Sterling for many years at Besse, Frye, Arnold and Brooks (later Besse, Frye, Miller and Lancaster).

    Vernon was born October 24, 1920 in St. Louis, MO, the son of Clarence and Birdie Xaripha (Ferris) Frye. He was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, serving in the Pacific Fleet on the U.S.S. Maryland, during WWII. He married Naomi Marie Benters on June 1, 1946 in Sterling. He graduated from Sterling High School, where he was a varsity letter winner in five sports. He matriculated from Northwestern University with a degree from the school of commerce, and received his Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University after the War.

  • July 5, 2016 | People
    H. Ross Workman 1919-2016

    H. Ross Workman, 96, of Glenview, IL, passed away May 20, 2016. Mr. Workman was a former Allstate Insurance Vice-President, major benefactor of the University of Illinois, and distinguished veteran of World War II.

    Mr. Workman was born on a farm in Corinth, ND on June 29, 1919 to Harry and Selma (Ellis) Workman. The family moved in 1923 to Harmony, MN, where he spent his youth. After graduating from Harmony High School and completing one year at the University of Minnesota, he worked at the Harmony News Office, a weekly newspaper in his hometown. During this time, he met Helen Smith, a teacher in Harmony, and they married on February 7, 1942.

  • June 30, 2016 | People
    Law Bulletin reporter John Flynn Rooney passes away

    Longtime Chicago Daily Law Bulletin reporter John Flynn Rooney has died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

    Mr. Rooney was a longtime resident of Chicago's Beverly neighborhood. He graduated from Marist High School and Loyola before attending the University of Illinois at Springfield’s graduate program in public affairs reporting,

    Survivors include his wife Meg and sons Jack, Ned and Dan.

    Read the full obituary in the Chicago Sun-Times.

  • June 28, 2016 | People
    Keith E. Harris 1945-2016

    Keith E. Harris, 70, a longtime resident of Palatine, was born on October 25, 1945 in St. Paul, MN the son of the late Edward and Dolores (nee Glashan) Harris and passed away on May 18th, 2016. Keith was a U.S. Army Veteran, an attorney, a lifelong hobbyist and enjoyed many years of community involvement through Palatine Jaycees and the Board of Trustees for the Village of Palatine.

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  • June 24, 2016 | People
    Jerald E. Jackson 1922-2016

    Jerald E. Jackson, 94, of Decatur, passed into eternal life at 9:24 p.m. Tuesday (May 17, 2016) at Decatur Memorial Hospital. 

    Jerald was born April 25, 1922, in St. Mary's, the son of Earl Lee and Nina Marie Walters Jackson. He married D. Miriam Schory on Feb. 28, 1944, in Chicago.

    Jerald graduated from Western Illinois University with a bachelor of science degree. He later graduated from the University of Chicago Law School with a juris doctorate, cum laude, receiving the Order of the Coif while there. From 1950 to present, he was a partner in Samuels, Miller, Schroeder, Jackson & Sly law firm in Decatur. Jerald was a member of the Illinois Supreme Court committee of Pattern Jury Instructions and the Illinois Supreme Court committee of Character and Fitness.

  • June 24, 2016 | People
    James E. Gorman II 1930-2016

    James E. Gorman II, age 85, passed away peacefully on Monday, May 2, 2016, at his home in Edwardsville, IL. 

    He was born on November 9, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois; the son of the late James and Mae Catherine (Jiracek) Gorman. He is survived by his wife of fifty-five years, Beverly Ann Gorman. They were married on October 1, 1960, at St. Mary's Church in Edwardsville, IL. He is survived by three sisters, Marcella Gorman, Virginia Schweinberg (late Donald),and Patricia Kruger (John). Sisters who preceded him in death include Rosemary Leach (Chuck Leach) and Jean Hughes (late Robert).