Class Notes
Class Notes are displayed in the order that they are received. You may also view notes by decade, or by class year – simply click on the decade or click on the + symbol to expand the decade and display by year. If a given class year does not appear, notes do not exist for that particular year.
Harold A. Baker '56
(10/11/23)
Judge Harold A. Baker, 93, of Champaign died Monday, September 18, 2023, at home with his wife of 72 years, Dorothy, and their three children by his side.
George B. Barr Sr. '57
(8/23/22)
George Britt Barr, Sr, 89, of Joliet, IL, passed away peacefully August 15, 2022, surrounded by his loving family.
Ronald Galowich '59
(8/22/22)
Ronald Galowich, of Glenview, IL, and formerly Chicago and Joliet, IL, passed peacefully at home, Sunday morning, July 24, 2022. Ronald was a valued long-time member of the College of Law's Board of Visitors, serving as President from 1998-2000. He was honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007.
Alan Greiman '55
(2/16/22)
Hon. Alan Joel Greiman died peacefully at home at age 90 in Chicago, IL.
Norman Thorpe '58
(1/28/22)
Norman Ralph Thorpe, 87, of Birmingham, Michigan, died on 24 January 2022.
Ronald S. Miller '55
(1/11/22)
Ronald S. Miller, age 89, died suddenly, but peacefully, in Chicago on Sept. 11, 2021.
Ronald Mottaz '56
(8/26/21)
Ron Mottaz passed away on March 23, 2021 in Alton, Ill.
Philip H. Ward '55
(8/19/21)
Philip H. Ward died on July 6, 2020 in Jupiter, FL.
James K. Whitaker '59
(6/15/21)
James K. Whitaker, age 87 of Munster, IN, passed away on June 2, 2021.
Rebecca Ayars Baker '58
(5/17/21)
Rebecca Jean Ayars Baker, a member of the 1956 United States Olympic team and a recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award from the University of Illinois College of Law, has passed away at the age of 84. She was part of a groundbreaking class of women when she enrolled at the University of Illinois College of Law in 1955. She entered law school at a time when women faced formidable obstacles in the legal profession: Harvard Law School had admitted its first female student only five years earlier, in 1950. Becky was one of only three women in a class of 300.
Thomas Miner '53
(4/19/21)
Thomas H. Miner, 92, of Chicago, passed away peacefully, on April 10, 2021.
Richard Thies '55
(4/13/21)
Richard L. Thies (Dick Thies) of Urbana, IL died peacefully on April 10, 2021. He was 89 years old.
Roderick Courtright MacLeod '58
(10/16/20)
Roderick Courtright MacLeod of Mountain Home, Arkansas, passed away September 26, 2020, in Mountain Home, Arkansas at the age of 89.
Elmer C. Hawkins '55
(9/16/20)
Elmer C. Hawkins passed away on September 1, 2020 in Decatur, IL.
Keith H. Hyzer '58
(8/28/20)
Keith H. Hyzer passed away on February 19, 2020.
Maurice P. Raizes '53
(8/28/20)
Maurice P. Raizes passed away on February 26, 2020.
Kenneth A. McGaw '53
(8/28/20)
Kenneth A. McGaw passed away on March 9, 2020.
Joseph P. Koval '54
(8/25/20)
Joseph P. Koval passed away on March 15, 2020.
William G. Wells '55
(8/25/20)
William G. Wells passed away on March 30, 2020.
John R. Luedtke '56
(8/25/20)
John R. Luedtke passed away on March 30, 2020.
Richard Swanson '59
(7/16/20)
Richard "Dick" Swanson, age 87, died May 3, 2020.
Thomas Trager '59
(7/14/20)
Thomas Humm Trager, age 88, of Peoria, passed away on Saturday, May 9, 2020 at Manor Court surrounded by his loving family.
Donald Tolmie '53
(7/14/20)
Donald MacEachern Tolmie passed away on May 26, 2020 at age 91.
Paul M. Wright '52
(4/2/20)
Retired Circuit Court Judge Paul M. Wright, 92, of Lakewood Ranch, Fla., died peacefully on Monday, March 23, 2020, after an extended illness. Paul practiced law with his brother, Wendell, in Danville before being elected as Vermilion County Probate Judge in 1958. Paul was later elected as a 5th Judicial Circuit Court Judge, retiring as Chief Circuit Court Judge in 1987.
Wayne L. Bickes '58
(7/7/19)
Wayne L. Bickes, 87, of Decatur, IL, passed away Tuesday, July 2, 2019, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur, IL. After graduation from law school, he joined the firm of Rosenberg and Rosenberg, and became a partner in the firm. Wayne was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, American Bar Association, Illinois Bar Association, and the Decatur Bar Association. In 2018 he retired from Bickes, Wilson, & Moss, after serving as an attorney for over 50 years.
Bob Butler '52
(4/22/19)
Bob Butler, one of the longest serving mayors in the United States, died on Monday, April 22nd at 92 years old. He was the mayor of Marion, Illinois for over 50 years.
Robert Dannehl '50
(9/26/18)
The Honorable Robert L. Dannehl, 92, passed away on September 23, 2018. In September 1950, he opened a general law office in Watseka with law classmate Billy Davis, and served two terms as state’s attorney of Iroquois County from 1956 to 1964. In 1976, he was appointed circuit judge to succeed Judge David Oram. His service commenced Jan. 1, 1977, and concluded with his retirement Oct. 31, 1995. He served in Iroquois, Kankakee and Will counties. Among his proudest experiences was a six-year appointment by the Illinois Supreme Court to the Supervisory Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases, which also consisted of learning from and working with the best legal minds and trial attorneys in Illinois.
Norman Olson Jr. '56
(5/25/18)
Norman Olson died May 16, 2018 in Glenview, IL. Norman practiced law in Chicago for nearly 50 years, about half of that as a founding partner of firms with his name on the door, including what is now Olson, Grabill & Flitcraft in Northbrook. Olson’s work there focused not on litigation but on what longtime partner Gregg Flitcraft called transactional work, estate planning and estate administration. For many years, he also provided legal counsel for several area park districts. Olson’s approach to his legal work was simple, Flitcraft said. “He was a very good lawyer who really cared about his clients and tried to do the right thing whether it was the most financially rewarding for the firm or not.”
Clifford M. Carney '52
(6/12/2017)
Clifford M. Carney age 90, passed away May 27th, 2017. Clifford was admitted in to law in 1952, where he remained licensed for 65 years. He was President of the DuPage Bar Association, President of the Election Commission and President of the Lions Club.
William Warren '50
(6/6/2017)
UCLA Dean Emeritus William Warren passed away on May 30, 2017 at his home in Santa Monica, California. Bill was a giant in legal education and in his chosen fields of bankruptcy and commercial law.