Francis X. Mahoney

1922 - 2017

Francis X. Mahoney 1922—2017
Honorable Retired Judge Francis X. Mahoney of Freeport Illinois passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Friday February 3, 2017. He was born in Peabody Massachusetts on March 21, 1922 the son of Joseph R and Lucy M Mahoney. He was a child of the depression and his father worked his whole life in a leather tanning factory. FX is the oldest of 9 children and was proceeded in death by his brothers Jimmy and Roger and his sisters Marcy, Sissy and Pauline. He is survived by brothers Johnny, Tommy and David who all live in the Boston area to this day. Judge Mahoney married the love of his life Ruth Lambert, December 2, 1944. They enjoyed over 60 years of marriage before Ruth passed away, September 2, 2006. Judge Mahoney is survived by his only child Honorable Judge P Michael Mahoney (Cris) of Freeport and his two grandchildren Dan (Kim) and Tim Mahoney both of Freeport. FX also loved and cared for two step grandchildren Jeff Pukacz (Michelle) of Bloomington and Julie MacAllister (Matt) of Sycamore. FX also has great-grandchildren Katy Mahoney, Ian and Andrew MacAllister, Ryan Pukacz and Jeffery Peterson. He and Ruth loved children and also provided love and support to various neighborhood kids throughout their lives. Judge FX Mahoney was a member of the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, the Stephenson County Bar Association, the American Trial Attorneys Association, and the Illinois Judge's Association. He was a proud member of the Amvets, St. Mary's Church, the Elks Club, the 4th degree of Knights of Columbus and enjoyed playing golf at the Freeport Country Club. FX was a voracious reader and was the first member of his family to attend College. He always thanked Sister Owen Marie who made him get a library card in 5th grade and found a passion in reading and knowledge that would forever shape his life. FX attended St John's Prep and Boston College before he enlisted in the Navy in 1943. He served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946 and met his wife Ruth while being deployed in Navy Pier in Chicago. He always claimed that Harry Truman was his hero because he "dropped the big one" right before FX was deployed into the Pacific theatre. After being discharged from the Navy in 1946, FX attended Northwestern University Law School on the GI Bill and received his Law Degree in October of 1948. FX and Ruth moved to Ashland Wisconsin in 1948 and he began practicing law in Ashland at that time. In 1951 he moved to Park Falls Wisconsin to practice law with Arthur DeBarteleben. In 1955 Ruth and FX moved to Freeport where they made their home for the next 60 plus years. After 5 Years at General Casualty, FX opened his own Law Office. In 1962 he formed a partnership with Harold Nettles and Nettles and Mahoney was born. In 1964 Judge Mahoney because a Public Defender in Stephenson County and in that same year he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. In 1971 his son P Michael Mahoney joined the firm and created Nettles, Mahoney and Mahoney. Judge Barry Anderson (retired) then joined the firm and Nettles, Mahoney and Anderson was formed. The firm is now Mahoney and Mahoney today and there has been a Mahoney in the firm for over 60 Years. In 1978 Judge Mahoney was elected Circuit Judge of the 15 Judicial Circuit in Stephenson County. FX was the first Democrat elected to public office in Stephenson county since the Civil War. He remained on the Bench for 14 years until he retired in 1991. Upon retirement FX returned to the firm of Mahoney and Hauser and practiced law there for another 10 years before he fully retired in 2001. FX and Ruth loved Freeport and never took for granted all the people who helped them when they moved there in 1955. FX always said: "Freeport will always be a special place to me."
Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. Friday February 10, 2017 at St. Mary Catholic Church with a visitation from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service. There will also be a visitation Thursday February 9, 2017 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home. Memorials have been established for Freeport Library Foundation and Freeport Catholic School Foundation in Judge Mahoney's memory. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Please visit and sign his guestbook at www.burketubbs.com.