James Elson

1931 - 2015

CANTON - James J. Elson, 84, of Canton died Monday, Nov. 9, 2015, at Graham Hospital in Canton, Ill.

He was born in Pontiac, Ill., on Aug. 5, 1931, the son of Howard J. and Bernadine (Twomey) Elson. He married Nancy Popel in Lena, Ill., on Aug. 7, 1954. She survives, along with their five children, Marygrace (Don Schroeder) Elson of Iowa City, Iowa, Joan Bernadine (Steven) Moore of Chicago, Ill., James J. (Alice M. Stevens) Elson Jr. of Canton, Ill., Stephen P. (Ann M.) Elson of Miami, Fla., and John C. (Andrea M.) Elson of Fort Collins, Colo.

He was the beloved grandfather of 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is further survived by two sisters, Mary Anne Elson of Springfield, Ill., and Carol (Victor) Abell of West Lafayette, Ind.

Jim Elson graduated from Chenoa (Ill.) High School. He attended the University of Notre Dame and graduated with a BS from the College of Agriculture at University of Illinois. He received his JD degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. He served three years of active duty as a judge advocate (captain) in the U.S. Air Force.

Following his release from active duty, he practiced law in Canton, Ill., until retirement in 2009. In 2001, Jim was named a laureate of the Illinois Academy of Lawyers. He served on the Illinois State Bar Association Board of Governors of the ISBA for eight years and in the ISBA Assembly for 13 years. He served on the Board of Visitors of the College of Law at the University of Illinois. He was a founding member and served 40 years on the board of Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund Inc. of Illinois, including board chair. He was a founding director and past board chair of ISBA Mutual Insurance Co.

In Canton, Jim was a trustee of the Parlin-Ingersoll Public Library for 32 years, president of the Canton Area Chamber of Commerce (1970) and Citizen of the Year (1985). He was active in St. Mary's Church and Knights of Columbus. With his wife, Nancy, he established a scholarship to the University of Notre Dame and a named dining room to the Newman Foundation at the University of Illinois. He financed the restoration and installation of the stained glass windows from the original Parlin Library, now in the Quiet Reading Room of the current library building.

There will be a prayer service at 4:30 p.m. at St. Mary Church in Canton on Sunday, Nov. 15. The family will receive friends at the Historic Depot, 50 N. Fourth St., from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Church on Monday, Nov. 16.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Mary food pantry or the Parlin-Ingersoll Library for the Elson project.

Arrangements by Oak-Hines Funeral Home in Canton.