Epilogue

Francis Xavier Riley “has been just about everything a lawyer can be, including hearing officer, public servant, private practitioner, law school professor, role model and mentor.”

With those words, ISBA past president nominated Mr. Riley, “on behalf of his grateful students,” for recognition as a Laureate of the ISBA Academy of Illinois Lawyers in 2000.

A retired faculty member of the Northern Illinois University College of Law, Mr. Riley died Sept. 14 at age 93 at the Glenview Terrace Nursing Center.

A 1937 graduate of the Marquette Uni-versity Law School, he began a journey in the practice of law with the Chicago firm of Monahan & Monahan.

He was appointed a field investigator for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Migration in 1941, and a special investigator for the President's Committee on Fair Employment Practices in 1942.

During World War II, Mr. Riley was a special agent for the Army Counter Intelligence Corps. After the war, as special appellate attorney for the Office of Price Administration, he appeared in almost every federal circuit court.

After receiving an LL.M. degree in 1949 from Catholic University of America, he became regional counsel for the Alaska Public Works Program in Juneau.

Returning to Illinois in 1954 as chief of the Cook County state's attorney's Appeals Division, he worked with future governor James Thompson, future legislator Jean Hurley (Simon) and future Supreme Court justice Mary Ann Grohwin (McMorrow).

Mr. Riley was a partner in Ancel, Stonesifer, Houpt & Riley from 1961 until 1965, when he became a partner in Adamowski, Newey & Riley. He joined the secretary of state's office in 1973.

A new chapter in Mr. Riley's professional career began in 1975, when he joined the faculty of Lewis University College of Law, which was acquired by NIU in 1978. He taught full-time until 1983, and part-time until 1987.

He was named Faculty Member of the Year by the classes of 1980 through 1984. The law school courtroom was named in his honor in 1993, and a Francis X. Riley Lecture Series on Professionalism was established a year later.

Cheryl Niro, who presented one of the annual lectures, and Louis G. Apostol are co-chairs of the ongoing Riley Courtroom Restoration Project.

“There was something remarkable about his classroom,” Niro recalls. “It felt like a courtroom. He demanded our best efforts and had little patience for those who were not prepared.

“He made us feel like his colleagues, rather than immature students isolated from the world of lawyers,” she added. “He asked for nothing more than to be a good lawyer and help others as they strived to do the same.”

In retirement, Mr. Riley was of counsel to Wylie, Wheaton & Associates in Wheaton, and legal advisor to the secretary of state's Administrative Hearings Department in Chicago.

Retired Collinsville attorney Warren O. Billhartz, a former state legislator, died Aug. 21 at age 79 in Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis. A 1951 graduate of the Washington University Law School, he had served in the Merchant Marine and Coast Guard during World War II.

Mr. Billhartz began his career with Johnson & Johnson in Belleville, and was an assistant attorney general. He served three terms in the Illinois House of Representatives, retiring in 1960. He was the first president of the Clinton County school board.

A second-generation banker, Mr. Billhartz was president of First National Bank of Collinsville and board chair when it was acquired by United Missouri Bank in 1987. He was a founder of FCB Banks in 10 communities.

A local philanthropist, he was responsible for establishment of the O. W. Billhartz Civic Center in New Baden, Lehrter Community Park in Albers, the future Billhartz Animal Shelter in Collinsville, and the Illinois College Student Investment Fund.

Retired attorney Bradford S. Allen of Barrington, died Sept. 14 at age 72. A 1960 graduate of the Albany Law School of Union College who was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1975, he was former assistant general counsel of Morton-Norwich Products and Morton Thiokol in Chicago.

David W. Alm, a partner in Brenner, Mavrias & Alm, Downers Grove and Morton Grove, died in September at age 61. He was a 1975 graduate of the Valparaiso University Law School.

Northfield attorney and certified public accountant Lawrence B. Berkowitz died recently. A partner in Weiss & Co., he was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1970.

Chicago attorney Richard Lee Blatt, a partner in the Chicago office of Cozen O'Connor, died July 25 at age 66 of acute respiratory distress syndrome resulting from open-heart surgery in June.

A 1965 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and member of Phi Beta Kappa, Mr. Blatt served in the Army until 1970. He was a founding partner of Blatt, Hammesfahr & Eaton, which merged with the Cozen firm in 2000.

He was the co-author of West Publishing's 1991 book, “Punitive Damages: A State-by-State Guide to the Law and Practice,” which has been translated in Japanese.

Former Chicago attorney Harold J. Budowsky died recently at age 87 in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he had moved in 1972. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1941.

Retired Cook County associate judge George Zaphirios Chrones (Polychrones) died Sept. 18 at age 78 from a colon infection in Glenbrook Hospital, Glenview.

A 1953 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, Mr. Chrones served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He began his practice in the office of an uncle and later was secretary of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission and chief hearing officer for the secretary of state.

Appointed to the bench in 1983, Mr. Chrones retired in 1991 and had been in a wheelchair since a stroke in 1999.

Survivors include a son, Jeffrey G. Chrones of Johnson & Bell, Chicago, and a brother-in-law, retired judge James A. Geocaris.

Retired Chicago attorney Jules Dashow of Glencoe died in September at age 97. He was a 1932 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law.

A former partner in Brown, Dashow & Doran, Mr. Dashow later was of counsel to Altheimer & Gray. He was special counsel to the Illinois Department of Insurance from 1963 to 1967.

Retired 18th circuit associate judge Francis Whitley Faris Jr. died in September at age 79. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1958. Appointed to the bench in 1985, Mr. Faris retired in 1992.

Retired Chicago attorney William G. Ferstel Jr., formerly of Orland Park, died Sept. 26 at age 87 in his New Iberia, La., home. A 1942 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, he was a Navy officer during World War II.

A trial attorney for more than 30 years, he was the son of attorney William G. Ferstel. Survivors include a brother, Chicago attorney James L. Ferstel.

Chicago attorney Thomas Edward Herrington died Sept. 12 at age 68. He was a 1967 graduate of the Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Retired corporate attorney Fred H. Law Jr. of Elmhurst died in September at age 83. A 1950 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School who was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1952, he was former counsel to Ace Hardware and partner in Gatenby, Law & League, Oak Brook.

Retired attorney Eneas “Bud” McDonnell Jr., a Willowbrook resident, died Sept. 21 at age 82. A 1953 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, he was a Navy officer before a career in corporate and securities law.

Chicago attorney Raymond John Meyer Jr., a resident of New Lenox, died Sept. 19 at age 72 in his home. A 1962 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law and an Army veteran, he headed Raymind J. Meyer & Associates with a son, Alfred N. Meyer.

Marion attorney J. C. Mitchell a 1949 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, died Sept. 4 at age 81 in Kindred Medical Center, St. Louis. He served in the Army Air Corps in Europe during World War II as a navigator on parachute carriers in enemy territory.

Mr. Mitchell practiced with Gordon Franklin in Marion for a year before opening a partnership with Frank Roan, and another later with Tony Armstrong.

After his son, Bruce Walker Mitchell, was admitted to the bar, Mr. Mitchell formed a new partnership, Mitchell, Mitchell & Bradley with John Bradley, who left when he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives.

J. C. Mitchell was attorney for the Williamson County Airport Authority and the Marion Park District, and was a past exalted ruler of the Marion Elks.

He became semi-retired in 2004, moving to Arizona, but returned to Marion in 2005. His son died March 24 of cancer (ISBA Bar News, May 2006).

Retired Chicago criminal defense attorney Frank Williams Oliver died Oct. 1 at age 86 of cancer in his Miami, Fla., home. He was known as a flamboyant advocate for reputed mobsters, draft dodgers and war protesters.

The son of a justice of the Iowa Supreme Court, Mr. Oliver graduated in 1949 from the University of Iowa College of Law and was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1950.

Retired Cook County judge Paul Augustine O'Malley died in September. A 1954 graduate of the DePaul University College of Law who was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1955, he was a former assistant state's attorney.

Former Chicago attorney Carol Thigpen Rieger died Sept. 12 at age 65 of ovarian cancer in her Ouray, Colo., home. A 1973 graduate of the Northwestern University School of Law, she joined Jenner & Block and became a criminal defense partner.

In 1983, Ms. Rieger became a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School and later was an antitrust law partner in Lindquist & Vennum.

She moved to Ouray in 1993 and opened an art gallery. She served on the planning commission and library board, and volunteered with the Humane Society.

Retired Chicago attorney Marshall J. Schwarzbach of Highland Park died Sept. 11 at age 80. A 1952 graduate of The John Marshall Law School who served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, he had been of counsel to Robbins, Salomon & Patt, previously Robbins, Coe, Rubinstein & Shafran.