Paul C. Hendren, 74, of Champaign and formerly of Carthage, died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, while in hospice care at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, from viral encephalitis.

Paul was born Sept. 28, 1942, at Fort Riley, Kan., son of the late Dr. Paul and Nancy Grosboll Hendren. His family lived in the Stadium Terrace housing outside Memorial Stadium after World War II while his father prepared to be a member of the first class of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois. The family moved to Carthage in 1952.

Paul graduated from the University of Illinois in 1964, with honors in sociology. He was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity and was business manager of the Illio yearbook.

He graduated from University of Illinois Law School in 1967, where he wrote for the Law Review and was named to the Order of the Coif Honorary.

After four years in the U.S. Army JAG Corps, including service in Vietnam, he worked for Capps & Ripple Law Firm in Carthage before joining the law firm of Williamson & Miller (now Miller & Hendren) in Champaign.

Paul always considered himself an office lawyer, who enjoyed helping ordinary people with their legal matters. He served as attorney for several villages in the Champaign area.

Paul was a past president of the Champaign County Bar Association and was named a Pillar of the Bar in 2015. He served many years as a hearing officer for the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.

He was active in the Champaign Lion’s Club and St. John Lutheran Church.

Paul married Suzanne Backs on June 13, 1965, in Belvidere. She survives, along with son, Matthew (Leslie) of Chicago; daughter, Anne Hendren of Mahomet; grandson Damyan Shepherd; sister, Jane (Bruce) Leathem of Carthage; nephew, Tom (Erin) Leathem of Starkville, Miss.; niece, Tammy Leathem of Denver, Colo.; and many cousins. Services have been held.