Obituaries

Professor Who Aided Term Limits Movement Passes Away

Dr. Robert A. Kurfirst Jr. of Niles played a role in getting a term limits referendum on the ballot. Niles voters passed it in April.



Dr. Robert A. Kurfirst, Jr., 60, a political science professor and Niles resident, passed away on Sept. 21.

Dr. Kurfirst played a role in helping the village establish an Ethics Committee in the wake of former mayor Nicholas Blase's conviction on federal corruption charges. Dr. Kurfirst served on a Village of Niles committee which laid the groundwork for the current Ethics Committee, in approximately 2009-10.

Dr. Kurfirst also aided a movement by some other citizens on that exploratory ethics committee to craft a term-limits referendum for Niles.

"He helped, supported and advised me," said Joseph Makula, a Niles citizen who succeeded in getting a referendum on term limits onto the April 9 ballot. Niles voters passed it.

Makula clarified that two attorneys, not Kurfirst, actually wrote the referendum language.  

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"He gave me ideas because he had written a number of papers on term limits in political science journals," Makula said.

Dr. Kurfirst wrote some Letters to the Editor on Patch.com calling for term limits as well. 

The obituary from Skaja Funeral Home follows: 
Dr. Robert A. Kurfirst, Jr, passed away September 21, 2013, loving father of Christian; former husband of Karen; brother of Fredrick; loving uncle of Allanah and Fredrick, Jr. There will be a memorial visitation at the Skaja Terrace Funeral Home 7812 N. Milwaukee Avenue Niles on Monday from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Funeral info: 847-966-7302.

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