Celebrated Belleville attorney Rex Carr passed away on April 27, 2015, at the age of 88 from cancer. 

Rex was born Dec. 29, 1926 in Carbondale, Ill., to parents, Lloyd Carr and Madge Carr, nee Morgan. He passed peacefully at his residence in Belleville, Ill., with family by his side.

Rex was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd Carr and Madge Carr, nee Morgan; his four brothers, Lloyd Carr Jr, Eugene Carr; Gerald Carr, and Glenn Carr; and his sister, Loylou Winters; his infant daughter, Peggy Jeanne Carr; and his former wives, Jeanne Carr, nee Bates, and Edna Carr, nee Hawkins.

Surviving are his two sisters, Georgia Beaver and Marcheta Murphy; also surviving are his girlfriend and companion of 26 years, Patricia Schmidt; four sons, Dr. Rex G. (Beth) Carr, Bruce (Kathy) Carr, Eric Reeve, and Glenn (Angela) Carr; his daughter, Kathryn (Wayne) Wheeler; 14 granddaughters, Michelle Carr, Stephanie Doyle, Rebekah Brown, Rachel Cardona, Jessica Lamire, Erica Reeve, Chelsey Richards, Michelle Brockman, Shauna Chilton, Elizabeth Wheeler, Deborah Wheeler, Adrienne Carr, Alexei Carr and Alison Carr; grandsons, Rex Carr, Nathan Carr and Brandon Meyer. He also had twenty great-grandchildren.

Rex was a World War II Navy veteran, grew up poor in East St. Louis, Ill., and rose to become one of the top 100 trial attorneys in America. He was a long standing member of the prestigious Inner Circle of Advocates, past president of the Urban League, past president of the East St. Louis Bar Association, and past president of the St. Clair County Bar Association. Rex also served as president of the Inner Circle of Advocates.

Rex was a formidable adversary in any courtroom which can be attested to by all of those on the opposing side of his many trials. He always championed the underdog in their bid for justice against big businesses, giant insurance companies and huge corporations. Rex's success in the courtroom was documented three times in the Guinness Book of World's Records.

His records were listed as, the highest personal injury award, the largest libel award to an individual and the longest personal injury trial at 3 years.

Rex was a loving husband, father, grandfather, greatgrandfather, uncle, faithful companion to Patricia Schmidt, and a loyal friend. His honesty, personal courage, tenacity and integrity will be missed by all of those who knew him. He was one of those rare individuals who managed to rise to the pinnacle of his profession and leave his mark on the world during his lifetime.

Donations can be made to the Belleville Area Humane Society. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.kasslyfuneral.com.

Interment will be held in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Belleville, Ill.