People

Don R. Lucas passed away Nov. 6, 2017. Born, raised, provided, prospered, and now passed, Don Lucas’s life story began, thrived, and ended in West Frankfort. A loving patriarch to his family, a devoted friend and attorney to his community, and a passionate defender of small town governance and the sheer joy in the natural bounty of Southern Illinois.

Don was a gifted athlete and multiple sports fueled his youth at F.C.H.S. achieving honorable mention to the 1952 Illinois All State Basketball Team. He attended SIU on a track scholarship where academic pursuits led him to both bachelor of science and master of science degrees while teaching government at SIU on a resident teaching fellowship.

After graduating from SIU in 1959, he taught history and coached basketball at Murphysboro and West Frankfort High Schools. Don’s only extended leave from Southern Illinois was to pursue a law degree and teach legal writing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, graduating with a Juris Doctor of Law in 1963.

Robert (Bob) Richard Kenski, 89 of New Carlisle, Indiana, passed away peacefully with family at his side on Monday Oct. 2, 2017. Born in St. Louis on Nov.18,1927, and married on Nov. 21, 1952 to the late June Carol Poertner. He proudly served in the U.S Army in 1946-1947 in Tokyo Japan. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a J.D. in 1952. He worked for 30 years for Ryerson Steel as a credit manager and later assistant general counsel. He joined Rockwell International in 1972 as associate general counsel until 1986. He served as a board member and president of School District 68 in Woodridge from 1968 through 1972. He also served as a board member of the Dupage County Council Girls Scouts of America from 1969 through 1972. A consummate bridge player, lover of fine food, and traveling. He was also an avid photographer and loved books. Innately curious he took up weaving in retirement until his vision failed. But above all else he loved his wife and family and took great joy in their accomplishments.

George E. Bullwinkel passed away on October 16 of colon cancer a month short of his 81st birthday. Born in Chicago, George grew up in Mount Prospect, IL, earned a BME from Cornell University (1959) and then worked a short term as an engineer for Rocketdyne in California prior to pursuing a law degree from Harvard (1964).

After graduating Harvard, George moved back to Chicago and then Hinsdale to raise a family with his wife, Madelaine. For over 50 years, George specialized in patents and intellectual property, practicing at several Chicago firms, before forming his own firm, Bullwinkel Partners, Ltd. 

George will be remembered for the many ways he used his technical and legal expertise to empower his peers and clients. After building a Heathkit computer with his son in 1981, he introduced the use of computers in two successive law firms and later taught computing to attorneys at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law.  

A private pilot for over 50 years and an active supporter of Friends of Meigs Field, he advocated for pilots' rights as part of the AOPA legal support team. 

Dwight Taylor, 85, of Collinsville, Illinois, born Feb. 11, 1932, in Carrollton, Illinois, passed away Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017 at St. Louis University Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri.

Dwight grew up in Shipman, Illinois, and graduated from Southwest High School. He attended Washington University, St. Louis, where he earned his J.D. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Mr. Taylor was employed for many years as an attorney at the Collinsville Building and Loan, and he also served as the Collinsville city attorney for over thirty years. He was instrumental in city development, including the Eastport Plaza and the Gateway Conference Center. He enjoyed golfing, loved his dogs, and took great pride in his yard, twice earning him "Yard of the Month" title.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carroll "Casey" and Irene, nee Travers, Taylor; his son Dennis, and his sister Dottye.