Honorable Robert P. LeChien, 65, of Belleville, born August 29, 1952, in Belleville, Ill., passed away on Thursday, August 31, 2017.

A lifelong resident of St. Clair County, Bob graduated from Althoff Catholic High School in 1970, and three years later obtained his B.S. in administration of justice administration from SIU-C. He proudly entered Southern Illinois University School of Law and graduated with its first class of distinguished alumni in 1976. He then embarked on an esteemed legal career. From 1976 to 1980, he served as an assistant state's attorney in St. Clair County and then joined his brother in private practice at LeChien & Associates. In 1985, he founded the Consumer Law Center where he undertook precedent setting cases which continue to provide protection for homeowners today.

In 1987, Bob began 30 years of dedicated service to the bench when he was appointed as associate circuit judge of the 20th Judicial Circuit. Judge LeChien was elected as resident circuit judge of St. Clair County in 1998, and most recently was re-elected to that position in 2016. He will be remembered not only for his respect for and dedication to the law, but for the empathy he showed to those who appeared in his courtroom.

He was a member of the Illinois Judges Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, a senior counselor of the St. Clair County Bar Association, and past president of the East St. Louis Bar Association. He was also a lifetime member of the NAACP and a committed Democrat. 

Bob was known for his appreciation of music, art, literature, and politics, as well as for his legendary cooking skills. His intellect, keen wit, and abiding compassion will forever resonate. He held his family and friends close, and as our judge, friend, and Pappy, he will be dearly remembered.