Judge Howard Robert Kaufman, 84, went to the big courthouse in the sky 29 May 2015.
A United States Marine; an Assistant United States Attorney General; First Chief of Consumer Fraud for the State of Illinois and finally a Cook County, IL Judge, he gave of his life in many ways. Through volunteering and mentoring youth, through sharing his wisdom, humor and his zest for life, he left a mark on all he encountered.
Growing up in Brooklyn, NY his childhood was the beginning of his lessons of life. As a student at American University in Washington D.C. and at Purdue University, he developed his love for physical education. Following Purdue he joined the United States Marine Corps and led his group of men as a 2nd Lieutenant building a sense of duty, comradery and toughness that he carried throughout his life. Attending Law School at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL he received his J.D. being one of the first to receive a law degree with a BA in Physical Education.
Proud of himself, yet not in a grandiose way, he was a self-made man. Practicing law as a Prosecutor in Elk Grove Village, IL; holding private practice in Elgin and in Chicago, IL, he believed in justice. He had many colleagues including those in the legal field, in politics and others that were involved in the justice system. A dear friend to many, he leaves many lives touched in many places.