James L. Foreman 1927-2012

James L. ForemanThe Honorable Judge James L. Foreman, 85, of Paducah and Key Largo, Fla., and formerly of Metropolis, passed away at on June 3, 2012, in Lourdes Hospital in Paducah.

Judge Foreman served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

He attended University of Illinois, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and received a Bachelor of Science from the university in 1950. In 1952, he received a law degree from University of Illinois and began practicing in Metropolis, establishing the law office of Chase and Foreman in 1955. From 1953 to 1960, Judge Foreman served as assistant attorney general for the state of Illinois, state's attorney for Massac County, 1960 to 1964, and special assistant attorney general for the state of Illinois, 1969 to 1972. In 1972, he was appointed U.S. federal judge by then President Richard M. Nixon for the Eastern District (now the Southern District) of Illinois. He became chief judge in 1978, serving in this capacity through 1992 when he became a senior district judge until his retirement from the bench in 2006.

He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Mabel Dunn Foreman of Paducah and Key Largo, Fla.; three daughters, Beth Foreman Banks of Paducah, Rhonda Foreman Wittig and husband, Don, of Bayview, Texas, and Nanette Foreman Love and husband, Mike, of Paducah; seven grandchildren, Whitney Ann Banks of Franklin, Tenn., Sidney Banks Benson and husband, Mark, of Hilton Head, S.C., Harold Burton Banks III of Paducah, James Edward Banks of Paducah, Allison Riepe Boykin and husband, Clinton, of Key Largo, Fla., Michael Clyde Love Jr. of Paducah and Conrad Foreman Love of Columbia, Mo.; five great-grandchildren, Calley Sutton Zorn Jr. of Franklin, Tenn., August Burton Zorn of Franklin, Tenn., Luke Anthony Benson of Hilton Head, S.C., Liam Banks Benson of Hilton Head, S.C., and James Ryan Boykin of Key Largo, Fla.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Courtney and Anna Elizabeth (Henne) Foreman.

The family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Judge James L. Foreman Scholarship, SIU School of Law, Lesar Law Building, Carbondale, IL 62901 or charity of your choice .

You may leave a message of sympathy or light a memorial candle at www.milnerandorr.com.

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Chris Bonjean
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