Benjamin P. Alschuler (1933-2001)

Benjamin P. Alschuler was a graduate of the West Aurora High School Class of 1951 and he graduated with Honors from the University of Virginia. From 1955 to 1957, Ben served on active duty as an Officer in the U.S. Navy. After serving his country, Ben entered law school and received his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Chicago Law School. Ben was then admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1960 and returned to Aurora to join the firm of Alschuler, Putnam and McWethy. That firm was started by Ben’s Great Uncle, Sam Alschuler, in 1879. In 1996, Ben joined Ron Hem, Don Simantz and Jim James in the Aurora Office of the Chicago law firm of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon. And, shortly before his death, Ben helped to establish Alschuler, Simantz & Hem, LLC.

Ben’s community activities included serving as one of the leaders in the formation of Mental Health and Retardation Services, Inc. He also served as Board President for the Family Counseling Service and was for many years a member of the Board of Governors of Copley Memorial Hospital now known as Rush-Copley Medical Center. Ben was also a Member of the Board of Trustees of Aurora College (now Aurora University) for nearly 30 years, serving as Chairman of the Board from 1981 to 1986.

Ben’s success as a lawyer was due not only to his knowledge of the law but also to the conscientious way in which he sought to solve the legal problems that his clients faced. It did not take his clients long to realize that they were dealing with someone who truly cared about them. Ben passed away on March 1, 2001 and is greatly missed by those of us who were privileged to have known him and had the opportunity to practice with him.

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