William Patrick O'Malley Jr.

Nicknames: Bill or Judge

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

• Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation at www.mcsf.org

• Chicago Police Memorial Foundation at www.cdpmemorial.org

Judge O’Malley was born on January 26, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois to William Patrick O’Malley and Elizabeth Ormond. He grew up on Chicago’s Southside and graduated from St Ignatius in 1961. Following high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served from 1961 to 1965.

Bill returned to Chicago following his Marine Corps service and joined the Chicago Police Department serving in the State Attorney’s Investigation / Tactical Unit. While serving as a Police Officer during the day, Bill studied in the evenings and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University in 1968. He continued both his police work and his studies and earned his Juris Doctor from Chicago Kent College in 1972.

Bill was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1972 and served as an Assistant Public Defender in the Criminal Trial Division of the Cook County Public Defenders Office until 1975. He was admitted to the Bar for U.S District Court in 1975.

In 1975 Bill left public service and opened his private practice law firm in 1975. From 1975 through 1991, he concentrated on Criminal Defense Litigation in both State and Federal Courts. He was a member of the Federal Defender Panel. He argued cases before the Illinois Appellate and Supreme Courts. He also conducted Civil Litigation and personal injury cases.

In 1991 Bill was appointed and consequently elected to the bench, serving as a Circuit Court Judge for the State of Illinois until his retirement in 2008.

On Law Day, May 1st, 1992 Bill and Judy married. They enjoyed the Cubs, White Sox and travel.

Following Bill’s retirement, they relocated to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. During retirement, they continued to travel extensively including several times to Bill’s favorites, Paris and Salzburg.

Bill was a member of several Bar Associations, ABA, CBA, IJA . He was also a member of the Semper Fidelis Society, Jacksonville, the American Legion Post, and was a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus.

Bill is survived by his wife Judy, his sister Madonna, his stepson Jeffrey, and several nieces and nephews.

Say not in grief he is no more, But live in the thankfulness that he was here for a time. Death is not extinguishing the light, But putting down the lamp when dawn has come.