Thomas G. Lyons

Tom Lyons
Tom Lyons
Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party
	In office; 1990–2007
Preceded by	George Dunne
Succeeded by	Joseph Berrios
Member of the Illinois Senate; from the 15th district
	In office; 1971–1973
Preceded by	Walter Duda
Succeeded by	Howard W. Carroll
Member of the Illinois Senate; from the 10th district
	In office; 1965–1967
Preceded by	Seymour Fox
Succeeded by	Esther Saperstein (redistricted)
Personal details
Born	May 24, 1931; Chicago, Illinois
Died	January 12, 2007 (aged 75); Chicago, Illinois
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Ruth Tobin
Children	Four
Residence	Chicago, Illinois
Alma mater	Loyola University; Loyola Law School
Profession	Attorney; Politician
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1954–1957

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.[1][2] In 1958, Lyons married Ruth Tobin in Mitchell, South Dakota.[1]

Illinois Senate

In 1964, Lyons was elected to the Illinois Senate from the 10th district.[1] 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.[3]

Lyons was elected delegate to the 1970 Illinois Constitutional Convention and unanimously selected to be the Vice President of the Convention.[2] Lyons was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1970 from the 15th district and served another term in the Illinois Senate.[2] 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.[4]

Post-Senate career

In 1968, Lyons was elected to the position of Democratic Committeeman for the 45th ward,[5] and from 1990 until his death he served as Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party from 1990–2007 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.[6] He was succeeded as Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party by Joe Berrios.[7]

References

Powell, Paul, ed. (1965). Illinois Blue Book 1965–1966. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Secretary of State. p. 160.
Lewis Jr., John W., ed. (1971). Illinois Blue Book 1971–1972. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Secretary of State. p. 144.
Durbin, Richard (January 16, 2007). "Remembering Thomas G. Lyons" (PDF). Congressional Record. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
Elmer, John (November 7, 1972). "Dependent on Large Nixon Plurality: G.O.P. Likely to Win General Assembly". Chicago Tribune. p. 14 – via ProQuest.
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.
Pearson, Rick; Sheehan, Charles (January 14, 2007). "Thomas G. Lyons: 1931 – 2007". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
Ciokajlo, Mickey (February 2, 2007). "Democrats elect a new chief; County party names 1st Hispanic leader". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 27, 2020.

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[Illinois_Blue_Book_1965-66-1] Powell, Paul, ed. (1965). Illinois Blue Book 1965–1966. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Secretary of State. p. 160.

[Illinois_Blue_Book_1971-72-2] Lewis Jr., John W., ed. (1971). Illinois Blue Book 1971–1972. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Secretary of State. p. 144.

[Durbin_Speech-3] Durbin, Richard (January 16, 2007). "Remembering Thomas G. Lyons" (PDF). Congressional Record. Retrieved April 23, 2020.

[4] Elmer, John (November 7, 1972). "Dependent on Large Nixon Plurality: G.O.P. Likely to Win General Assembly". Chicago Tribune. p. 14 – via ProQuest.

[5] 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.

[6] Pearson, Rick; Sheehan, Charles (January 14, 2007). "Thomas G. Lyons: 1931 – 2007". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 23, 2020.

[7] Ciokajlo, Mickey (February 2, 2007). "Democrats elect a new chief; County party names 1st Hispanic leader". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 27, 2020.