Chicago Sun-Times - June 23, 1999

Chicago politics was part of Cook County Circuit Court Judge Arthur L. Dunne's blood.

His grandfather, Edward F. Dunne, was a judge, mayor of Chicago in 1905, and governor of Illinois from 1913 to 1917. His father, Robert Jerome Dunne, was a Circuit Court judge.

Judge Dunne, a Northfield resident, died Monday at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston. He was 68.

A lifetime Chicago area resident, he served as presiding judge of the Chancery Division for the last eight years. He was appointed a circuit court judge in September 1971.

Cook County Chief Judge Donald O'Connell said he and Judge Dunne were friends for 33 years. O'Connell called him a "strong, hard-working and decisive judge" who was highly respected.

"And lawyers who practiced before him recognized his legal abilities and knew he was a person of the highest integrity," O'Connell said.

Judge Dunne served as a magistrate and an associate judge in the juvenile, civil and criminal branches of the court system. He also served as an assistant state's attorney and as an assistant United States attorney in the criminal trial division.

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Albert Green said his colleague was a stern but popular judge. He said Judge Dunne always told the other judges in the chancery division to do the best they could and "make us all look good," he said.

"He was a good leader and he knew what he was doing," Green said. "He called them as he saw them."

Judge Dunne's son, Edward, said his father was a fun-loving prankster who constantly played jokes on the family. He said his father always put family first.

"Family meant everything to him," he said. "He made it first and foremost. He was my best friend."

Judge Dunne's other son, Patrick, said his father was an extrovert who liked horses and parties.

Judge Dunne established the Youth Apprentice Program as an alternative to sentencing juvenile offenders. He recently established a program, under the supervision of the city's Department of Consumer Affairs, to educate homeowners on alternatives to mortgage foreclosure and the prevention of home-repair frauds.

After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1952, he enlisted in the Army. He was a hand-to-hand combat instructor in the military.

When he returned from service in the Far East, he attended Northwestern University and received his law degree as in 1957.

Judge Dunne was the president of the Irish Fellowship Educational and Cultural Foundation, which has awarded several hundred thousand dollars in scholarship money to Chicago Catholic high school students.

He was a member of the board of advisers of Catholic Charities of Chicago. He also has served as grand marshall of the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Other survivors include his wife of 40 years, Margaret; a son, Roderick; a daughter, Megan; a sister, Betty McCauley; a brother, Maurice, and three grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Sts. Faith, Hope & Charity Church, 191 Linden, Winnetka.

Mass will be offered at the church at 4:30 p.m. Burial will be private.