PLANO - Sunday night a single engine plane crashed in a Plano cornfield, and the 80 year old pilot, Elgin attorney John Juergensmeyer, was killed. He was alone in the plane.
"Illinois lost a strong pro-life conservative last night," said Macoupin County GOP Chairman Terri Koyne, whose family is close to the Jeurgensmeyer family. "He had been visiting his brother yesterday in southern Illinois, and his plane crashed on his way home. We will miss him."
Juergensmeyer, who had a law practice in Elgin, served as Chairman of the Illinois and Chicago Bar Association Local Government Law Committees. He has served as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois, and as both Assistant State's Attorney and Assistant Public Defender for Kane County, a biography listed with FindLaw.com reports.
Juergensmeyer was appointed to the National Commission on Libraries and Information Sciences by President Reagan. He had been Professor of Constitutional Law and Political Science at Judson College, Elgin, Illinois, and has served on the teaching faculty of the University of Illinois, Northern Illinois University, and the University of Hawaii.
Juergensmeyer was very active in local political and civic organizations, including service as a leader of local Rotary, Jaycee, Boy Scouts, Salvation Army, United Methodist Church, Judson College, The Life Center, and many other groups.
Dr. Elizabeth Juergensmeyer, his wife, is Professor of Developmental Biology and Chairman of the Science-Math Division at Judson College, where she has served as Faculty Moderator.
Funeral plans are pending.
