Paul W. Kaiser, Jr., age 85, a life-long resident of Waukegan, Illinois died on Sunday, March 24, 2013 at Northwestern University Hospital.

Paul graduated from Waukegan High School and then attended the University of Illinois, Urbana, graduating with a degree in business in 1950. He served with the United States Air Force in Japan during the Korean War.

Following his discharge, he attended the University of Denver Law School. He served three years as a Lake County Assistant State's Attorney. While building his private practice, he was appointed as a part-time Public Defender. He served as secretary and treasurer of the Lake County Bar Association.

His experiences serving in the criminal justice system led him to become involved in the Lake County Family Service Agency and Lake County Mental Health Society. He worked with the late Rev. Ralph Smith to organize a group home for young men on probation in need of guidance called "Young Men's Fellowship." The group home was one of the first programs of its kind in the State of Illinois. Now called, "Rebound," it is still in operation. Later, he and Rev. Smith created "Contact," a telephone crisis-intervention hotline.

Other organizations on which he served and held responsible positions include: First Methodist Church of Waukegan, Lake County Welfare Council, Waukegan Philharmonic Society, Waukegan Public Library and Friends of the Library, Lake County Chaplaincy Society, and the Illinois branch of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. He also served on a committee to investigate the feasibility of a unit school district for Waukegan.

Having participated in football and track in both high school and college, he was an avid fan of the Chicago Cubs, Green Bay Packers and University of Illinois teams.

Paul is survived by his wife of 58 years, Betty Kaiser; his daughter, Susan E. Kaiser; and sons, Steven P. Kaiser (Elena) and William T. Kaiser; and grandchildren, David, Daniel, Jake, Ariela and Mikaela. He is preceded in death by his parents, Paul W. Kaiser, Sr. and Margaret Beagle Kaiser and his sister, Nancy Kaiser Horton.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, the American Cancer Society or the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.