All District 6440 Rotarians mourn the untimely passing of Rotary Club of Antioch President John T. Phillips.
 
The story from the Daily Herald follows.
 

Friends describe former Lake County Judge John T. Phillips as a wonderful friend and brilliant jurist with a compassionate heart.

"He was such a true friend to everyone," former state Rep. JoAnn Osmond said. "They don't make many people like John."

Phillips, 70, died Saturday January 6 at his Antioch home surrounded by family and friends.
 
"John had so much empathy for others and a true sense of justice," said Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Steve DeRue, who worked alongside Phillips in felony courtroom 202 for seven years. "But he was all about redemption as well. His faith meant a lot to him."
Phillips was a 1969 graduate of Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before graduating from the University of Iowa School of Law in 1972.
He served in the Air Force and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel before entering private law practice and becoming a partner at Churchill, Baumgartner and Phillips, Ltd. in Grayslake.
 
He was appointed associate judge in 1993, then elected circuit judge in 2006. He was elected chief judge by his peers in 2014, before retiring last January.
"I have heard from several of our revered retired judges that you will know when it's time to go, and they were indeed correct," he said upon his retirement. "That time has come."
 
Phillips served in every division of the circuit court, officials said, but he was best known for helping to form and preside over the specialized Lake County treatment courts from 2005 until 2014. Those courts include Lake County drug court, mental health court and veterans court.
 
"Every person he knew is a better person because of having known him," Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim said. "He has helped countless people and was truly dedicated to serving the justice system and the entire community. Personally, he was a mentor and dear friend, and will be deeply missed."
 
Phillips oversaw numerous felony criminal cases while serving as judge for nearly 25 years, including the nationally known Peter Hommerson murders in Barrington Hills and the Lincolnshire sledgehammer attempted murder trial involving Sandra Rogers.
 
Phillips continued to serve on the Special Supreme Court Advisory Committee for Justice and Mental Health Planning of the Illinois Supreme Court. He also was an active community member, serving as president of the Antioch Rotary Club, member of the Antioch VFW Sequoit Post #4551 and past president of the Deer Trail Hunting Club.
 
He is survived by his wife, Catherine; his children, David (Brandy) Baker and Matthew (Maureen) Baker; and six grandchildren.
"He was such a true friend to everyone," Osmond said. "He always had such a good heart. He would come over here and drop something off for my son, and we would just talk for hours. He was just such a sweetheart."