Arthur F. "Art" Powers, Jr, 78, of Decatur, passed away Friday, April 20, 2018, in Sullivan Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, Sullivan, IL.
Art was born October 18, 1939, the son of Arthur F. and Opal Imogene (Clemons) Powers. A U.S. Navy veteran and member of Ss. James and Patrick Parish, Judge Powers served his country proudly aboard the U.S.S. Saratoga. He liked flying, fishing and spending time with his grandchildren. Art married Carolyn J. Edwards August 17, 1968, in Centralia.
W. Loren Thomson, 86, of Bloomington, died Friday, April 13, 2018, at Sugar Creek Assisted Living Center under hospice care of VITAS.
Loren was born July 6, 1931, in Bloomington, the son of James L. and Virginia M. (Johnson) Thomson. Loren married Judith Johnston on Dec. 26, 1974, in Greeley, Colo.
Mercedes Luque-Rosales, 56, died Sunday, April 15, 2018, in Chicago.
The daughter of the late Luis and Evangeliana (nee Cuentras) Luque-Rosales, Mercedes was born February 4, 1962. She attended Lowell grade school in Humboldt Park and Alvernia High School. She later attended Loyal University and won a full scholarship to Creighton University School of Law, graduating at the top of her class.
Richard S. Ratcliff, 86, died Tuesday, March 6, 2018, in Holland, Mich.
A native of Oak Park and River Forest, Dick graduated from Oak Park High in 1948. In high school he developed his love of language and writing, and excelled in athletic activity, winning an award his senior year for best defensive guard in Cook County. He attended University of Michigan on a football scholarship and stayed for seven years, earning a bachelor’s degree in economics and a law degree.
Dick met Patty Cullen on spring break in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. They grew up three blocks from each other and were two years apart at Oak Park High School, but did not meet until Dick was in law school and Patty was teaching in Indianapolis. They married on April 14, 1956.
Joseph A. "Joe" Morrissey, died Monday, April 2, 2018. He was born August 16, 1929, to William R. and Aileen (Brady) Morrissey
Joe grew up a resilient and entrepreneurial young man during the Great Depression. Although the family had little, they were rich in faith and love.
Joe attended St. Anne Elementary, graduating from Amboy High School in 1947, and St. Ambrose University in 1951. Following college, Joe served 4 years in the U.S. Air Force. After service, Joe studied law at the University of Illinois, obtaining his Juris Doctorate in 1958. Upon graduation, Joe worked in the State Farm claims department until 1964, after which Joe began a private law practice in Rockford, concentrating in personal injury claims for over 50 years.
Kenneth "Gary" Kombrink, 72, died Sunday, March 25, 2018, at his home in Bloomington after being treated for lymphoma at the University of Chicago for the past 6 months.
He was born August 29, 1945 in Harrisburg, Pa. He attended high school in Belleville, Ill., and college at the University of Missouri, where he was quarterback of the football team from 1966 to 1967 and co-captain his senior year. After graduation in 1968, he served in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant from 1968 to 1970.
Ralph D. Glenn, 88, of Mattoon, died Friday, April 6, 2018, at the Harmony Center in Mattoon.
He was born in Lexington, Ill., on October 15, 1929 to Robert and Thelma (Derry) Glenn. He lived and attended school in Lexington through the 8th grade, when the family moved to Yorkville, Ill. Ralph graduated from Yorkville High School in 1947. He attended college and played football and baseball at Illinois Wesleyan University from 1947 to 1949, before transferring to the University of Illinois, where he earned undergraduate and law degrees. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1953.
After finishing law school, Ralph enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served with distinction from 1953 to 1955.
Edward Samuel Harris, 88, of Chicago, died Friday, March 30, 2018.
The son of Rochelle (neé Shapiro) and Leo Harris, Edward began working at Leo's Dancewear, the legacy company founded by his father, after school at age 10. He attended the University of Chicago at age 16. Edward was the first in his family to go to college, where his love of learning lead him to law school and an MBA at DePaul University in Chicago. He served eight years in the U.S. National Guard. He retired from Leo's, as the Chief Financial Officer, at age 78.
As a lawyer, Edward was committed to fairness in labor relations, contract agreements, and immigrant rights. He lead Leo's Dancewear in weathering the storms of both the Reagan and Bush-era recessions, all the while fighting the rising tide of outsourcing and job cuts.
Thomas V. Hoehne, 72, died Thursday, March 22, 2018, in Denver, Colo.
He was born July 23, 1945 on a U.S. naval base in Seattle, Wash., a son of Nicholas and Geraldine (Hodgin) Hoehne. He married Pamela Shuck in 1971, and they remained good friends through the years and were loving parents to their five children.
Thomas graduated from Spalding Institute, Creighton University, Northern Illinois University and John Marshall Law School. He was an attorney in Peoria, Ill., for 45 years until his retirement in 2017.
ISBA President Hon. Russell W. Hartigan (ret.) served as keynote speaker for the LaSalle County Bar Association’s Annual Law Day Dinner on May 3 at Senica’s Deer Park Golf Club in Oglesby.
Hartigan discussed his ties to the Illinois Valley and ISBA member benefits, including Fastcase, free CLE, and the Lawyers’ Assistance Program.
Law Day, which is held on May 1 every year, began in 1958 through a proclamation by President Dwight Eisenhower. It is a day when Americans celebrate their liberties and appreciate the ideals of equality and justice under the law.