Leo J. "Bear" Sullivan, a two-term member of the ISBA Assembly and past chair of the ISBA Mutual Insurance company, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. Mr. Sullivan was born on Aug. 16, 1934 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Reared in East St. Louis, he graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1952, and recently attended his graduating class's 50th reunion. While attending St. Louis University he clerked for two separate Police Magistrates in E. St. Louis. He graduated from St. Louis University Law School in 1958 with a J.D. degree and was admitted to the Illinois and Missouri Bars the same year.

The same year he joined the United States Navy and was commissioned in 1959 after completing OCS in Newport, Rhode Island. His first assignment as a Legal Officer was to the USNS Kodiak, Alaska where he served as the legal officer to that command and others.

In September of 1960 he was transferred to the Administrative Command at Great Lakes, where he was in charge of the Courts Martial Unit and later acted as the Appellate Review Officer. In late 1960 he worked part time, nights and weekends, for Snyder, Clarke, Dalziel, Holmquist and Johnson in Waukegan. When released from active duty in March of 1962 he became a member of the firm. In 1967 he was made a partner.

In November of 1962 he married Theresa "Terry" who passed away in 1999. They had five wonderful boys in seven years.

In 1968 he left the firm and started his own practice in Waukegan. It grew and was known as Sullivan, Smith, Hauser & Noonan Ltd. He became "of counsel" to the firm in 2001. During his practice he tried and argued cases at all levels of the Illinois Court system as well as in Federal Court and had the privilege of arguing a case before the U. S. Supreme Court.

In 1984-85 he was the President of the Lake County Bar Association. He served two terms as a member of the Assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association. He was a past Chairman of the Board of the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company, a leading malpractice insurer of Illinois lawyers founded by the Illinois State Bar Association, and co-chairman of the Claims Committee.

He lived with his wife Marilynn in Gurnee, where he has been a resident for over 45 years. When time permitted they spent time at their home near Lake Geneva, Wis. They enjoyed traveling and cruising when not spending time with the family.

Photography has held his interest as a hobby since he was in High School. Over the years Leo has been active in numerous community projects. He is proud to have been a founding member and the president of the first Montessori School in Waukegan; the president of the Immaculate Conception Parish Men's club, past president and board member of the Abbey Springs Yacht Club of Fontana, Wis., and other community endeavors.

He is preceded in death by his mother and father Marie and Leo (Bud) Sullivan as well as his four brothers; Richard, Carl, Leo and Harry. Leo was a true gentleman. He lived his life with integrity, leadership and last but not least a sense of humor. He loved his family and the practice of law. He will be missed by all who knew him. Through the way he lived his life, treating everyone with dignity and respect, he left this world a better place.

He will be truly missed by his wife Marilynn and his 5 sons, Leo IV, Mike, Terrence, Sean and Kevin; daughter-in-law Lisa. He was PAPA to his Granddaughter Britney. He had a special full time caretaker Carlos.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity .