Stanley J. Roszkowski, 91, former district judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, passed away on July 7 in Rockford.

On July 19, 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated him to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Judge Roszkowski initially was assigned to hear cases in Chicago, where he served full time for seven years, while also hearing cases part time in Rockford.

He advocated for a permanent court in Rockford. On November 1, 1984, Judge Roszkowski was assigned as the first full time District Court Judge in the Western Division. He served in the Western Division until his retirement in 1988.

In 2009, Senator Richard J. Durbin introduced legislation to name the United States Courthouse in Rockford, then under construction, for Judge Roszkowski. The legislation became Public Law 111-14 when President Obama signed the bill into law on April 23, 2009. The Stanley J. Roszkowski U.S. Courthouse was officially opened and dedicated on October 29, 2011.

Chief Judge Ruben Castillo said, “Judge Roszkowski was an outstanding jurist and a wonderful colleague. Stan was a true American hero and patriot who served his country admirably in World War II as a member of the Air Force. He flew numerous combat missions over Europe in the infamous Flying Fortress Bomber Squads. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Roszkowski was one of Rockford’s premier trial attorneys. We will miss him greatly, and our hearts go out to his entire family.”