Judge John A. Nordberg

1926 - 2021

U.S. District Court Judge John A. Nordberg of Northbrook, and longtime resident of Golf, Illinois, and Green Lake, Wisconsin, died on March 12, 2021 at the age of 94. Born in Evanston in 1926, he was active in the Swedish Covenant Church, YMCA, and Boy Scouts-rising to Eagle Scout. He was a member of the Evanston Township High School graduating class of 1943, attended Carleton College, joined the U.S. Navy and served on a ship in the Pacific Theater during WWII. While at Carleton he met Jane Spaulding, and they were married after graduation in 1947. After the war, John attended Law School at the University of Michigan, where he received his JD, class of 1950. He became a partner in the Chicago firm of Pope, Ballard, Shepherd, and Fowle, where he spent 26 years. In 1976 he became a Cook County Circuit Court Judge, and in 1982 President Ronald Reagan appointed John to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where he served with distinction. John was an active member of many professional, social, civic, and philanthropic organizations. John was an avid sailor and tennis player. He enjoyed spending time with Jane at their summer house on Green Lake, surrounded by family and friends. John and Jane were married 73 years and have four children, Carol (Walt Gardner), Mary Eimers (David Layman), Janet (Gary Garcia), and John (Susan); 11 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, we welcome donations to the Covenant Living of Northbrook Benevolent Fund (https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/CovenantLiving/OnlineDonation.html) or The Alzheimer's Association (https://act.alz.org/).