Judge Thomas W. Haney

Thomas W. Haney, 72, of Herrin, died Thursday, August 7, 2009, in Rockford, in the home of his daughter. Thomas was born in Herrin, the son of the late Lan and Katherine (Chernick) Haney; he graduated from Herrin High School, Southern Illinois University, and DePaul University Law School, and also received a Master of Arts degree from Columbia Pacific University. On June 7, 1962, he married Judith Anderson at the Church of St. Michael in Chicago. He conducted a private law practice for 12 years, during which time he also served at various times as city attorney for Herrin and Johnston City and Village Attorney for Energy. In 1976, he was appointed Associate Circuit Judge by the Supreme Court of Illinois, and in 1980, was elected as Resident Circuit Court Judge of Williamson County. After retiring from the bench in 1994, he served as an adjunct instructor in the Crime Studies Center at SIU for more than a decade. He was a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Herrin, was a Fourth-Degree Knight of Columbus, and was a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. Judge Haney was preceded in death by his parents, Lan and Katherine Haney, by his beloved wife Judith A. Haney, and by his son Thomas W. Haney II. He is survived by his daughter Marjorie Haney Schafer of Rockford, his two granddaughters, Andrea Haney of Makanda and AnPing Schafer of Rockford, his son-in-law Jim Schafer of Rockford, his daughter-in-law Kim Haney of Springfield, his sister-in-law Joan Monbrum of Marissa, and a cousin, Barbara Jones of Homer Glen. Visitation will be held at Johnson-Hughes Funeral Home in Herrin on Tuesday, August 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The rosary will be recited at 5:45 PM, Tuesday evening at the funeral home by the Rev. Mr. Joseph Ogonda. The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Herrin on Wednesday, August 12, at 10:00 a.m. Monsignor Ken Schaefer will officiate. Following interment at East Lawn Memorial Gardens, a luncheon will be served in the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel gym basement. Memorial donations are suggested to the American Cancer Society, the Herrin Education Foundation/Thomas W. Haney II Memorial Scholarship Fund, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, or a charity of the donors choice and will be accepted at Johnson-Hughes Funeral Home/ 201 S. 13th St./ Herrin, IL 62948.