wfn.org | [ENS] Chicago diocese mourns death of federal judge's husband and

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@mail.epicom.org>]

Wednesday, March 2, 2005

Chicago diocese mourns death of federal judge's husband and mother

ENS 030205-1

[ENS, Source: Diocese of Chicago] Michael F. Lefkow, secretary of the
Diocese of Chicago's Standing Committee and member of St. Luke's
Episcopal
Church in Evanston, Illinois, was found shot to death with his
mother-in-law
in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood on Monday evening.

Lefkow's wife, Joan, a U.S. District judge, discovered the bodies of her
husband and mother in the basement study of the couple's home on North
Lakewood Avenue on Chicago's North Side around 5:30 p.m. on Monday,
February
28 when she returned home from work. According to the Cook County
medical
examiners office, Lefkow, 64, and his mother-in-law, Donna Grace
Humphrey,
89, both died from multiple gunshot wounds. The Chicago Police
Department
has been joined by FBI and U.S. Marshals Service investigators in
investigating the deaths. A protective detail has been assigned to the
family. Judge Lefkow had been under the protection of the Marshals
Service
last year because of death threats following her rulings against white
supremacist Matt Hale in a 2003 civil suit.

Michael Lefkow and his wife Joan were active members of St. Luke's,
having
joined the parish in 1987. Lefkow served on the vestry from 1992 to 1995
and
had been active in other ministries there, including service as an usher
and
lector, a member of the summer choir and men's group, and a member of
the
Stewardship Committee. During the 1970s and 1980s the couple attended
St.
James Cathedral and St. Chrysostom, Chicago.

"His death is a profound loss not only to his family and our church, but
to
the wider community as well," said Bishop William Persell of Chicago in
a
statement released March 1. "His dedication to serving workers and those
living on the margins of our society has been a consistent focus of his
professional life and his ministry in the church. It is through such
witness
to the love of God that we work towards vanquishing hate-based violence
that
haunts our society. His wise counsel, generosity of spirit, and
faith-centered service will be sorely missed."

Lefkow was a lifelong Episcopalian, baptized at St. Mark's Episcopal
Church,
Glen Ellyn, Illinois in 1941. He was confirmed in 1958 at Trinity
Episcopal
Church, Wheaton, Illinois. After earning his law degree from
Northwestern
University's School of Law in 1966, he went to work as managing attorney
in
legal services for the poor. In 1979 he became supervisory attorney for
the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Miami, Florida, and returned
to
Chicago in 1982 to serve as assistant regional labor counsel for the
U.S.
Postal Service. Since 1985 he was engaged in private practice, focusing
on
criminal law and employment law. He chaired the Chicago Bar Association
Lawyer Referral Service from 2001 to 2002, and initiated a referral
panel
for victims of clergy sexual abuse. President Clinton appointed his wife
Joan, 61, U.S. District Court judge in 2000.

In addition to his service on the diocesan Standing Committee, Lefkow
served
on the Episcopal Volunteer Lawyer Network of the diocese through which
he
provided pro bono services to congregations on employee relations.

Friends of the family gathered for a prayer service at St. Luke's on
Tuesday
evening. St. Luke's rector, the Rev. Jeannette DeFriest, officiated.
Plans
for a memorial Eucharist at St. Luke's have not yet been finalized.

The full text of Bishop Persell's statement follows:

I am deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death yesterday evening
of
Michael Lefkow and his mother-in-law, Donna Humphrey. Michael served our
diocese as secretary of the Standing Committee and member of the
Episcopal
Lawyers Volunteer Network; and his parish, St. Luke's Episcopal Church
in
Evanston, as a lector, vestry member, and member of the Stewardship
Committee. His death is a profound loss not only to his family and our
church, but to the wider community as well. His dedication to serving
workers and those living on the margins of our society has been a
consistent
focus of his professional life and his ministry in the church. It is
through
such witness to the love of God that we work towards vanquishing
hate-based
violence that haunts our society. His wise counsel, generosity of
spirit,
and faith-centered service will be sorely missed. I ask your prayers for
his
wife, Joan, their daughters, members of St. Luke's and all those his
life
touched.

Grant to him eternal rest. Let light perpetual shine upon him. And may
his
soul through the mercy of God rest in peace.

William D. Persell Bishop of Chicago

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