First District Appellate Court Justice Thomas E. Hoffman passed away on July 4, 2025. Justice Hoffman had served on the First District Court since 1993.
Justice Hoffman was born in Chicago on Dec. 23, 1947. He earned his undergraduate degree from Loyola University in 1969 and his J.D. from the UIC School of Law (formerly John Marshall Law School) in 1971.
Thomas Mathew Welch, 86, of Collinsville, IL, passed away peacefully on July 7, 2025, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital with his beloved and devoted wife Cindy (Lapicola) Welch of 55 years by his side.
David J. Ben-Dov, 53, of Northbrook, IL, passed away peacefully on April 21, 2025, after a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was the beloved husband and best friend of Dr. Dana (nee Mantell) for 28 wonderful years; loving father to daughters Talia and Rachel; adored son of Eitan and Barbara; dear brother of Adena (Jerry) Lubelchek; loving uncle of Harvey Lubelchek; adored son-in-law of Pam Mantell; much loved nephew of Yoram (Patricia) and Paul (Sandy) Sabin; treasured cousin and friend to his many cousins worldwide, and devoted dog dad to Sally the golden retriever.
Sheila Murphy lived life on the side of the underdog.
Her son, Deacon Patrick Murphy-Racey, recalls a conversation he had with her shortly after she acquired her first cellphone.
“I could hear all this background noise, so I asked where she was,” he said.
She told him, “I’m downtown. They’re marching.”
He responded, “Who’s marching?”
“I don’t know,” the matriarch replied, “but I have to go join them.”
Robert Rigney McNamara, beloved son of the late Thomas and Rita (Rigney) McNamara, died peacefully at his home on December, 18th, 2024. Born on January 7th, 1962, he was preceded in death by his parents, his infant brother Thomas W. McNamara, Jr. and his sister Michelle McNamara. He is survived by his wife Suzanne (Muslin) McNamara; his children (4): Elizabeth, Thomas, Colleen (fiancé: Michael Miller), and Sean; his sisters Margo (Gerry) Chadwick, Maureen (Brent) Stratton, Kathleen (Kevin) Conroy, and Mary Rita (Steve) Skrine; and his beloved seventeen nieces and nephews.
For a man without vision, Robert “Bob” Watson was certainly not short on vision. Watson, a longtime local attorney and Lewis and Clark Community College board trustee and chairman died Saturday at the age of 87.
Bruce N. Cook, a past president of the St. Clair County Bar Association, passed away on January 2, 2025. Visitation will be held from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, January 12, 2025 at Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville. A funeral service will be held at Kurrus on Monday, January 13, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. Memorials may be made to Land of Lincoln Legal Aid.
We extend our sympathy to the Cook family.
Robert John Connor was born October 6th, 1952; died November 15th, 2024; the sole child of Robert Emmett Connor and Lorraine Rita Hinske Connor, both deceased. He was a lifelong resident of Chicago; and for many he was a well-respected and beloved colleague, mentor, and friend.
Donald C. Schiller, respected attorney, active member of both the legal and academic communities, and beloved husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather, died peacefully at his home in Highland Park, IL. on October 18th, 2024, following a lengthy battle with cancer.
J. Robert “Bob” Geiman, Sr., 93, of Vero Beach, FL and formerly of Wilmette, IL and Chicago, IL, passed away on September 5, 2024. Beloved husband of the late Ann Fitzgerald Geiman; loving father of J. Robert “Bob” (Sara) Geiman, Jr., William Patrick Geiman and Timothy Michael (Allison) Geiman; proud grandfather of J. Robert “Bobby” Geiman III, Sophia Suzann Geiman and Luke Michael Geiman; and caring brother of the late Nancy Lou Pope. In accordance with Bob’s wishes, private services were held at Saints Faith, Hope and Charity in Winnetka, IL.