People

L. Stanton Dotson, age 79, of Charleston, succumbed to ALS at his home on August 8, 2017. Stanton was born in New Orleans, LA on April 27, 1938, the son of Charles W. and Adele Jahncke Dotson. He is survived by his wife, Nancy K. Dotson, children, and grandchildren.

Stanton graduated from the University of Illinois Champaign in May 1960 with a BA in Agricultural Law. While at the U of I, he was associated with the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, received two major awards for public service as a student, the MA-WAN-DA and SACHEM. He was a senior football manager for the Fighting Illini Football Team. He was a member of the Army ROTC. After graduation he served his active duty time as part of the ROTC Program and was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX. He continued service as a reservist reaching the rank of Captain. In 1961 he enrolled at Chicago Kent College of Law, graduating in 1964 and passing the bar exam in November 1964. He was hired as assistant state’s attorney by Ralph Glenn in Coles County Illinois in December 1964. In 1968 he was elected the state’s atorney and served until 1972 when he entered into private practice on Wabash Avenue in Mattoon where he remained as a sole practitioner until June 2014. He received recognition from the Illinois State Bar Association for fifty years in the practice of law in November 2014. His ALS diagnosis in January 2015 curtailed his activities, taking official retirement in January 2017.

Bart Mann, 60, died Thursday evening Aug. 24, 2017, at Herrin Hospital in Herrin. He was born April 2, 1957, in Du Quoin, to Kenneth B. and Mary Ruth (Sharp) Mann.

Bart was a well-known practicing attorney since July 1986 and a member of the Illinois State Bar Association.

He was a past master of Herrin’s Prairie Masonic Lodge 693; he revived and organized the Herrin Mayors Thanksgiving Day Dinner in 2001 and continued to serve the people of Herrin at the Thanksgiving Day dinner; He was also a member of Mensa Society; served on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity and also worked with Habitat for Humanity in both Herrin and Marion.

He was actively involved with the Dream Factory, a volunteer-driven not-for-profit organization that grants the dreams of children with critical or chronic illnesses.Surviving are a brother, Michael Mann of Blairsville; sister, Nancy McDonald of Herrin; nephew, Ryan B. McDonald of Herrin and a host of friends and clients thoughout the Southern Illinois region.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

The Illinois Supreme Court will host a memorial service in honor of the late Justice John J. Stamos at 2 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, September 20, at the Illinois Supreme Court at 20 E. Capitol Avenue in Springfield.

The opening and closing remarks will be delivered by Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier. Tributes will be given by Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis; the Honorable Benjamin K. Miller, a former Supreme Court Justice; the Honorable Gino L. DiVito, a former Appellate Justice; Mr. James J. Stamos, Esquire, of Stamos & Trucco LLP, the son of Justice Stamos; and ISBA president, the Honorable Russell W. Hartigan, a former Cook County Circuit Judge.

The Circuit Judges of the 18th Judicial Court, DuPage County, unanimously elected Judge Daniel P. Guerin to the position of chief judge at a meeting held September 13. Judge Guerin's term as Chief Judge will commence on December 4, 2017. Judge Guerin will succeed Chief Judge Kathryn E. Creswell.