Northern Illinois

Marvin S. Andich, 92, of Rock Island, died Saturday, March 1, 2014, at Silver Cross Nursing Center, Rock Island.

Funeral services are 3 p.m. Tuesday at Congregation Beth Israel at the Tri City Jewish Center, Rock Island. Burial is in the Hebrew Cemetery, Rock Island. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Rock Island, is assisting the family. Memorials may be made to the Congregation Beth Israel, the Jewish Federation of the Quad-Cities or to the American Cancer Society/Relay for Life — Marla's Marvels' Team.

Marvin S. Andich was born Jan. 5, 1922, in Rock Island, a son of Louis and Sadie Pollack Andich. He married Beverly A. Shapiro on May 27, 1948, in Davenport. She died Jan. 22, 2013.

Marvin graduated from Rock Island High School and Augustana College. He received his juris doctorate from the University of Iowa School of Law. He practiced law in Rock Island for almost 60 years at the law firm of Andich and Andich. In early years, he served as a hearing officer for the Illinois Department of Revenue and in later years served as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General. Marvin also owned with his late brothers the Readmore Book World stores in Rock Island and Moline, as well as the Andich Brothers News Agency.

Mary F. Petruchius, of Sycamore, a private practice lawyer in Sycamore, will receive a 2014 Board of Governors Award from the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) at the organization’s 138th Annual Meeting on Friday, June 20, at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wis.

As the 2013-14 chair of the ISBA’s Standing Committee on Women and the Law, Petruchius is being recognized for her efforts to promote women as lawyers. Under her leadership, the ISBA presented or co-sponsored seven events, including a networking breakfast at Southern Illinois University School of Law; a “30 Female Blackstones” event at Winston & Strawn in Chicago, and two programs in March during Women’s History Month in both Chicago and at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. The committee also co-sponsored a reception in the fall during a meeting of the National Association of Women Lawyers Foundation.

Former ISBA Counsel Joseph P. Marto passed away on Feb. 28, 2014. He was born on March 18, 1938 in Great Falls, MT. After living in Shelby Montana, he was raised in Oregon and Washington finally settling in Sprague in Lincoln County.

He entered the seminary in 1954, and was ordained a priest for the diocese of Spokane in 1963, receiving his M.Div. Degree. He worked in several parishes until he became Diocesan Director of Religious Education. In 1971, he left the active ministry and married Rosemary Gaffney.

They moved to Chicago, where he attended The John Marshall Law School, receiving his J.D. degree in 1974 in the top 10 of his class. His legal career began in Springfield, IL as house counsel for the Illinois State Bar Association.

From there, he moved to various firms in Chicago, primarily as a trial attorney for insurance defense firms. He obtained a Real Estate Broker 's license in 1976, and owned several apartment buildings. He retired to McHenry IL in 1989, and began an active life of volunteering. He first organized a computer class for Seniors at McHenry Township and then became involved in the AARP Tax Aide Program preparing free taxes for Senior Citizens. He also ran a free legal aide program at Senior Services for several years.

After 15 years in the AARP Tax Aide program, he became ill in January and died on February 28, 2014. A memorial service will be held at the Church of Holy Apostles in McHenry on Thursday, March 6, 2014 with a gathering at the Church Chapel at 10:00 and Mass at 10:30. Joe is survived by Rosemary, his wife of 42 years, several cousins, and many nieces and nephews.

The Honorable Tomas M. Magdich of Dixon died Tuesday, April 15, 2014. He was 74.

He was born July 2, 1939, in Gary, Ind., to a bookkeeper, Ann Magdich, and a carpenter, Milan Magdich. His working-class childhood was made difficult by the death of his father at the age of 13. He was raised by a hardworking, single mother in the 1950s, and delivered papers to contribute to the family’s grocery money. Although his life was difficult, from early on, he always had a passion for school and learning.

Tom graduated from Lew Wallace High School in 1957 in Gary, and then attended Ripon College. At Ripon College, he met his future spouse, Judith Lawson. He became president of his fraternity, where he developed many lifelong friendships. And it was at Ripon College where he was mentored to seek a career in law after graduating with a degree in philosophy.

While attending Northwestern Law School, he discovered his passion for the law and his lifelong mission to help people seek justice. During his first year, he married Judith Lawson on Aug. 11, 1962. During his last year of law school, he found himself in need of employment due to the impending birth of their first child. A job opportunity with the firm Gunner and Keller is how he came to Dixon 50 years ago, a place that he thought would be a temporary home but grew to endear.