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Thomas G. Lyons

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American politician
Tom Lyons
Lyons, circa 1971
Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party
In office
1990–2007
Preceded byGeorge Dunne
Succeeded byJoseph Berrios
Member of the Illinois Senate
In office
1971–1973
Preceded byWalter Duda
Succeeded byHoward W. Carroll
Constituency15th district
In office
1965–1967
Preceded bySeymour Fox
Succeeded byEsther Saperstein (redistricted)
Constituency10th district
Personal details
Born(1931-05-24)May 24, 1931
Chicago, Illinois
DiedJanuary 12, 2007(2007-01-12) (aged 75)
Chicago, Illinois
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseRuth Tobin
ChildrenFour
Residence(s)Chicago, Illinois
Alma materLoyola University
Loyola Law School
ProfessionAttorney
Politician
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1954–1957

Thomas G. Lyons (May 24, 1931 – January 12, 2007) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party active in Chicago.

Biography

Lyons was born May 24, 1931, on the northwest side of Chicago. He attended Our Lady of Victory Grammar School and Campion High School. He attended college at Loyola University and earned a law degree from Loyola Law School. Lyons served in the United States Army Rangers 1954 through 1956. As of 1964, he was a Captain in the United States Army Reserve. Lyons joined the Chicago Police Department as a patrolman in 1953 and resigned in 1957 upon his admission to the Bar. During his legal career, he served as Chief of the Law Division of Cook County Assessor's Office, and chief of three departments in the Office of Attorney General of Illinois, and as a partner at O'Keefe, Ashenden, O'Brien, Hanson, Lyons & Associates. In 1958, Lyons married Ruth Tobin in Mitchell, South Dakota.

Illinois Senate

In 1964, Lyons was elected to the Illinois Senate from the 10th district defeating Republican candidate Elroy C. Sandquist Jr. He was chosen the best new member of the Illinois Senate in 1965 and selected by Rutgers University as an outstanding young legislator in 1966. Served as chairman of the Illinois Constitution Study Commission and Secretary of the Governor's Revenue Study Committee. Lyons lost re-election in 1966, in part for his support for a statewide fair housing laws, similar to what would become Titles VIII through IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1968.

Lyons was elected as a delegate to the Sixth Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1969-1970, and was unanimously elected to be a Vice President of the Convention. Lyons was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1970 from the 15th district and served another term in the Illinois Senate. Lyons left the Illinois Senate to run for Illinois Attorney General; losing to incumbent William J. Scott. Howard W. Carroll, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, defeated former State Senator Walter Duda's comeback bid.

Post-Senate career

In 1968, Lyons was elected to the position of Democratic committeeman for the 45th ward, and from 1990 until his death he served as Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party from 1990 to 2007 and as 45th Ward Democratic committeeman for many years. President Bill Clinton appointed Lyons to the American Battle Monuments Commission. He died in January 2007. He was succeeded as Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party by Joe Berrios.

References

  1. ^ Powell, Paul, ed. (1965). Illinois Blue Book 1965–1966. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Secretary of State. p. 160.
  2. ^ Lewis Jr., John W., ed. (1971). Illinois Blue Book 1971–1972. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Secretary of State. p. 144.
  3. Howard, Robert (November 4, 1964). "G.O.P. Holds Illinois Senate: House Majority Expected for Democrats". Chicago Tribune. p. 5 – via ProQuest.
  4. Durbin, Richard (January 16, 2007). "Remembering Thomas G. Lyons" (PDF). Congressional Record. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  5. Elmer, John (November 7, 1972). "Dependent on Large Nixon Plurality: G.O.P. Likely to Win General Assembly". Chicago Tribune. p. 14 – via ProQuest.
  6. Fremon, David K. (October 22, 1988). Chicago Politics Ward by Ward. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. p. 302. ISBN 0-253-31344-9. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  7. Pearson, Rick; Sheehan, Charles (January 14, 2007). "Thomas G. Lyons: 1931 – 2007". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  8. Ciokajlo, Mickey (February 2, 2007). "Democrats elect a new chief; County party names 1st Hispanic leader". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
Party political offices
Preceded byFrancis S. Lorenz Democratic nominee for Attorney General of Illinois
1972 		Succeeded byCecil A. Partee
Preceded byGeorge Dunne Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party
1990–2007 		Succeeded byJoseph Berrios
Preceded byWalter Duda Member of the Illinois Senate from the 15th district
1971–1973 		Succeeded byHoward W. Carroll
Preceded bySeymour Fox Member of the Illinois Senate from the 10th district
1965–1967 		Succeeded byEsther Saperstein (redistricted)
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