Obituaries

Frank L. Bixby, 91, died Saturday, July 20, 2019.

His wife of over 67 years, Kaki, predeceased him by less than three months. He is survived by four children and nine grandchildren.

Frank—known as "Bix" to most of his friends and colleagues—was born in New Richmond, Wisconsin, on May 25, 1928, to Frank H. and Esther (Otteson) Bixby. During the Depression, the family moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where Frank attended West High School. He later attended Harvard College and returned to Madison for law school at the University of Wisconsin, where he became editor-in-chief of the Law Review. After graduation, he went to work for the Chicago law firm, Sidley Austin, LLP—then known as Sidley, Austin, Burgess, & Smith. He spent his entire career at the firm and saw it grow from fewer than 50 attorneys to over 2,000. He served the firm in various roles, including head of its estates and trusts group for many years. He continued working with clients through the firm until he was 90.

Scott Curtis Cleal, 62, of Naperville, died Aug. 21, 2019.

He is survived by his wife, Sonja, step daughter, Nevena (Nick ) and granddaughter Sofia, step son Matija; twin brother, Jon (Angela), nieces, Valerie, Brittany and Shannon; brother, Charles; sisters, Marianne and Janet with families, and close friends. He is preceded in death by his parents Harold L. and Shirley C. Cleal.

Marshall J. Auerbach, 86, died Aug. 13, 2019, after a courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Marshall was born Sept. 5, 1932, to the late Sadie and Sam Auerbach of Chicago.

Marshall was a prominent matrimonial attorney in Illinois, winning all five appearances before the Illinois Supreme Court. He was the principal author of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act in 1977 allowing for no-fault divorce. This was the state's first major revision of matrimonial law in more than a century. Marshall was a partner at Jenner & Block and subsequently founded his own law firm, Marshall J. Auerbach & Associates. He authored hundreds of articles, was a frequent lecturer, and was a former chair of the Illinois Bar Association’s Family Law Section.

On Aug. 3, 2019, John B. Kincaid, loving husband and father of three daughters, passed away at the age of 80.  John was born on Aug. 25, 1938, in Hinsdale, to Marguerite Donahue and Cecil Kincaid. 

On Jan. 8, 1966, he married Sharon Louise Middleton. They raised three daughters, Stacy (Heesen), Sarah (Gillotti), and Tara (Schreiner). He received his law degree from Chicago-Kent Law School in 1963 and practiced civil law for almost 60 years, most notably at Mirabella, Kincaid, Mirabella & Frederick in Wheaton, Illinois.