Don Paul Koeneman, 80, passed away on Jan. 16, 2015, at Memorial Hospital in Belleville.

He was born to the late Bruno William and Marguerite (nee Finley) Koeneman on April 24, 1934, at his Grandmother Koeneman's home in Steeleville. He lived in Steeleville until 1947 when the family moved to Chester. Don attended Chester Grade School and graduated from Chester High School in 1952. While attending Chester High School he participated in basketball and tennis, and was the editor of The Summit yearbook.

In 1956 Don graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, and received a commission to the U.S. Air Force JAG Corp as a Second Lieutenant. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Washington University Law School in 1958. While attending Washington University, he participated in the Air Force ROTC, and was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity.

On June 30, 1956, Don married Mary Ann Uffelman in Chester. In October of that year, he entered active duty at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base followed by two and one half years at the Azores Air Transport Station in Azores, Portugal.

Following his discharge from the Air Force, he and his family returned to Chester. In 1961, Don started his law practice in Illinois and Missouri as a partner with Tom Atchison. He was elected States Attorney of Randolph County in 1968. Don founded the Koeneman Law Offices in 1972, and in 1982 his son, Paul, entered his law practice followed by grandson, Christopher, in 2014. Don received the highest possible rating (AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell) from his fellow attorneys and judges, an honor only awarded to the top five percent of attorneys nationwide. He was admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts in Illinois and Missouri, and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Don’s hobbies included playing golf, bridge, chess, square dancing, skiing, waterskiing, and bowling.

Don was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Chester, the American Legion Post 487, Chester, the Elks Club, the Randolph County Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association, and National District Attorneys Association. He was a Mason and Shriner, and also served on the Chester School Board. In addition, Don was a founding member of the Chester Country Club, vice president of the Bank of Evansville, and served on the board of directors of the First National Bank of Steeleville for many years.

Don is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary Ann Koeneman of Chester, and their two sons, Paul, and his wife Kyle Koeneman of Chester and Greg Koeneman of Chesterfield, Missouri, as well as two grandsons, Christopher Koeneman of Chester and Kevin Koeneman of Kansas City, Missouri. Also surviving are his sister, Kay Allen, and her husband Bob Sobo of O’Fallon, Missouri, his sister-in-law, Jo Koeneman of Chester and his brother-in-law, John and his wife Georgia Uffelman of Murphysboro; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Preceding him in death were his parents, B.W. and Marguerite Koeneman, his brother, Bill Koeneman, his father-in-law and mother-in-law, E.J. (Dutch) and Mary Uffelman, and many aunts and uncles.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church in Chester or Hospice of Southern Illinois. 

To view this obituary and sign the register book, visit www.pmfh.net.