2005 Year in Review

Local Lawyers Become Good Samaritans

By Sarah Thorndike

Although it says Ronald F. Coplan Attorney at Law on the window, you won’t find Ron sitting behind his desk these days. You might find Wally Kilgus there; or maybe Lon Richey; Dan Huffman, Russ Holesinger and Bill Shirk, too, are all spending at least an hour a week at Ron’s desk.

Over several days, starting on the last day in September, Coplan experienced a number of symptoms indicative of heart trouble. On Sunday, October 2, Ron’s wife Rosemary and their good friend Karen Huber (who also happens to be one of the parish nurses at the Morrison United Methodist Church) confronted him and told him he had to go to the hospital. Ron Coplan had quad-duple bypass surgery the next day, October 3, at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford.

“The impetus actually came from Willard,” noted Kilgus. Willard Nelson was the senior partner at the Morrison firm of Nelson, Kilgus, Richey and Huffman until his death in June 2003.

At one time Nelson related to Kilgus of having been in an accident when he was in solo practice. Willard was laid up in the hospital and the other attorneys in town took care of his clients until he was back on his feet.

“I’ve known Ron for a long time,” said Kilgus. “We went to law school together. We’re good friends. Because he’s in private practice by himself, we knew it would be hard for him.”

Kilgus and the other four attorneys got together in Coplan’s office the week after Coplan was hospitalized. They went over his files and decided who could do what and when. “Some of the things one or another of us couldn’t do,” Kilgus explained, “because we were on the other side (of the case).”

Every day of the workweek, one of the lawyers is in Ron’s office to consult with clients. Jim Reese, city attorney for Rock Falls, took over as Sterling City Attorney as well in Ron’s place. In addition, Jim Mertes is taking on some of Ron’s cases in court.

“It’s pretty widespread over the county,” Kilgus commented. “We’ve had even more offers of help. Despite opposing each other vigorously in court, we get along pretty well.”

“This is what we want to do; what we should do,” stated Kilgus. “And we’ll continue to do it until Ron gets back. He would do the same thing for us.”

by  Editor, theCity1.com
November 21, 2005