People

Walter Scott Clifton, 60, of Urbana, died of complications from Multiple Sclerosis on Sept. 13 at the Veteran’s Administration Illiana Healthcare System in Danville, surrounded by family.

Mr. Clifton was born May 29, 1952, in Chicago, to Anne and Walter Clifton Sr. along with four sisters including Jennifer, Pamela, Gail, and Norma. Coming from humble beginnings, Mr. Clifton was a shining example of the American Dream. He went to the military and later worked his way through undergraduate school. He graduated from The University of Illinois Law School in 1980, and subsequently served as an attorney.

Walter Clifton married Dora A. Pope and had 4 children: Rodedrick, Dionne, Vernon and Justin.

Mr. Clifton spent his entire life in service, tirelessly serving God, his country, his family, and his community. Mr. Clifton accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and served as a member of Greater Holy Temple Church. He was truly an extraordinary human being and he will be forever loved and missed.

Services have been held.

The family asks that donations of time and volunteer work be made to Veteran organizations in Mr. Clifton's memory. Condolences may be sent to www.leekandsonsfuneralhome.com.

Thought you all would like to know that we just received this announcement that ISBA member Steve Baker is being honored by receipt of "The Promotion of Social Justice Award" by the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Details are below for the Nov. 9th dinner and ceremony. The award states as follows: 

"A lawyer since 1978, Stephen W. Baker has served the Illinois criminal defense community for decades both in the courtrooms - as an Assistant Public Defender and later the Public Defender of DuPage County - and in the halls of the Illinois Legislature.  He has worked vigorously for groups such as the Cook County Public Defender's Office, the Illinois Public Defender Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Steve has fought tirelessly for years against an unending tide of efforts to increase sentences, expand the scope of Illinois criminal laws, shrink our civil liberties, and keep the death penalty. His efforts merit his selection as the first recipient of IACDL's Promotion of Social Justice Award." 

Steve and other recipients will be honored at IACDL's Annual Dinner, on Friday, November 9, 2012 at the University Club, 76 East Monroe, Chicago, IL 60603.  Cocktails will begin at 6:00 P.M. with dinner to be served at 7 P.M.  

Cost is as follows: 

Gary L. Brown, 64, of Chicago, formerly of Kankakee, died Tuesday (Aug. 28, 2012). A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 6 p.m. today at Maternity BVM Catholic Church in Bourbonnais. Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, Bourbonnais, is in charge of arrangements.

He was born Feb. 9, 1948, in Donovan, the son of Dorothy Anderson and Delmar Brown. He spent his childhood in Beaverville working on the family farm, attending school and playing sports. He especially enjoyed playing baseball.

After graduation from high school, Gary attended Indiana University, where he played basketball and baseball for the university. Since baseball was his passion, he decided to play professionally for the Montreal Expos minor league team from 1969 to 1971. He graduated from The John Marshall Law School in 1976 and chose to practice in Kankakee. His legal career included work as an assistant states attorney, a private practice with the law firm of Butz, Mortell, Jaffe, Smith, O'Connor and Brown, and the city attorney under former Mayor Russell Johnson for eight years.

After more than 20 years in law, Gary switched careers to work for a not-for-profit agency, Howard Area Community Center. At the resource center, Gary structured and organized the computer literacy program.

Gary will be remembered by his family as the dad who taught his son to pitch like a pro and play chess like a master; by his daughter, Jessica, as the dad who celebrated even the smallest achievement; and by his daughter, Chrissy, as the dad who encouraged her to strive for excellence and embrace each individual along the way.

Art Martin, who died Saturday (Aug. 11, 2012) at age 64, was a nationally known labor lawyer, who often represented low-paid employees working in health care. He lived in University City, Mo.

As a young man, he was a union factory worker. He became a union organizer before deciding he could win more fights as a lawyer.

Last year, he was the only witness to testify for unions before a Republican-dominated U.S. House committee investigating whether labor laws are unfair to business.

Arthur Joseph Martin died Saturday after a morning bicycle trip near Fredericktown, Mo., with his wife, Janine Martin, also a labor attorney. Doctors later found that he had suffered a heart attack, she said Wednesday.

Mr. Martin was one of the relatively few labor lawyers here or elsewhere who represent workers.

"Unions simply cannot pay that kind of hourly rate," said Mike Wolff, a professor at St. Louis University School of Law.

Read the full obituary in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch