People

Ralph John Derango Jr., 81, of Swansea, died Tuesday, April 23, 2019, from complications related to heart surgery, at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

He was born on Aug. 12, 1937, in LaSalle. After graduating from LaSalle-Peru High School in 1955, he attended LaSalle Peru Junior College and the University of Illinois. He graduated at the top of his class from John Marshall Law School in Chicago in 1961. Shortly thereafter, he began practicing law in Belleville and continued practicing part-time until his death. He fought hard for his clients and never hesitated to help anyone who needed legal advice. In addition to his law practice, he worked briefly as an assistant state's attorney and an assistant public defender. He served for many years as school board attorney for Belleville Township District #201, O'Fallon District #203, Central District #104, Pontiac-William Holliday District #105, and High Mount District #116.

Philip Baker Benefiel, 95, died Sunday, April 7, 2019, at home in Champaign.

Judge Benefiel was born June 25, 1923, in Lawrenceville, to Ross J. and Amanda Jane (nee Baker) Benefiel. He attended Lawrenceville public schools and the University of Illinois. During World War II, Philip served in the 667th Field Artillery Battalion at the Battle of the Bulge and the Rhine Crossing at Remagen. Upon his return to the University of Illinois after the war, Philip completed a bachelor’s degree in history, followed by a J.D. in law in 1948. Returning home to Lawrenceville, Philip was elected as state’s attorney of Lawrence County and served in that position from 1948-1952. At the time, Philip was the youngest Democrat in the U.S. to serve as state’s attorney, a post contested and won in an Illinois Supreme Court case due to his having been elected prior to successful completion of the bar exam.

Michael T. "Mike" Haughan, 51, died Friday, April 12, 2019, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Jan. 12, 1968, in Oak Park, the only son of Robert and Joyce Haughan. Michael received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, followed by a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law at IIT.

Lloyd John Tyler Jr., 94, of Geneva, formerly of Aurora, died Thursday, April 4, 2019, surrounded by his loving family.

Lloyd was born May 28, 1924, in Aurora, the son of Lloyd and Dorothy (nee. Curtis) Tyler Sr. He was united in marriage to his first wife Mary Lou Council on Sept. 3, 1953. After her passing, Lloyd found love again and married Inez C. Busener, on Feb. 25, 1972, in Cincinnati, Ohio.