Longtime Kane Judge Gene Nottolini Dies at 69

By Rick Nagel

During his long career as a judge in Kane County, Gene Nottolini touched thousands of lives. Today, Kane officials are remembering his life and mourning the death of the 69-year-old who retired from the 16th Circuit Court in 2005.

“I was saddened to learn of Judge Nottolini’s death," Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon said in a prepared statement. "I knew Judge Nottolini for more than two decades, and he and I shared the connection of being graduates of St. Edward High School in Elgin.

“Judge Nottolini was known and respected for his kindness. He would always make an effort to make people in his courtroom feel comfortable, and he would display great patience with those who were unfamiliar with the court system. He enjoyed life and the relationships he had with everyone he would see daily in his courtroom and around the courthouse.

“Our condolences to his family.”

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Laird Funeral Home in Elgin.

Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday Sept. 10, 2013, at the St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Elgin, with the Rev. Richard Rosinski officiating. Entombment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery, Elgin.

Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the Laird Funeral Home, Elgin and on Tuesday at church from 9:15 a.m. until the Mass.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Lung Association, the Elgin Community Crisis Center, the Elgin Cosmopolitan Club and St. Thomas More Catholic Church or a charity of one’s choice. For information, 847-741-8800 or www.lairdfamilyfuneralservice.com

The Honorable Judge Gene Nottolini, 69, of Elgin passed away on September 5, 2013. He was born on July 9, 1944 in Elgin the son of Dino and Margaret (Lamz) Nottolini.

In 1984, Nottolini was selected as an associate judge serving in traffic, felony, family and juvenile courts. He was appointed Circuit Judge in 1989, elected in 1990 and retained by voters until his retirement in 2005. Nottolini served as Chief Judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit from 1993-96.

In 1983, Judge Nottolini was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States.  In 2004 he was able to reserve a place for 50 attorneys from the Kane County Bar Association to be sworn in to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States Judge Nottolini served as ethics advisor for the Kane County Board from 2008 to 2012, and was currently serving on the Ethics Boards for Sherman Hospital and Elgin Community College.