John Francois Kezdy J.D. Obituary (1959

John Kezdy J.D., 64, punk vocalist and attorney, of Highland Park, passed away August 26 after injuries sustained in a bicycle accident. Born in Belgium in 1959, he immigrated to the U.S. in 1962 with his parents. Kezdy graduated from Evanston Township High School and attended University of Wisconsin for a year before his brief, but intense, stint as the frontman for a punk band The Effigies in the 1980s, during which he toured the U.S. and Canada in a van and contributed to several record albums. Later, he earned his B.A. in English from Northwestern University in 1988 and his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law in 1991. His first job out of law school was with the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's drug unit where he handled drug felonies and civil drug asset forfeitures in three downstate counties. In 1996 he was hired by the Office of the Illinois Attorney General to prosecute cases with the Statewide Grand Jury Bureau, he became the chief of the bureau in 2004. Kezdy tried cases or litigated matters in more than a quarter of Illinois' 102 counties, stepping down as Chief of the Statewide Grand Jury Bureau in July 2022 but continued to work for the Office of the Illinois Attorney General into retirement. Music and bicycling were two of his pursuits in life. Beloved husband of 24 years to Erica Weeder, devoted father of Lena and Lucas Kezdy. Brother of André (Cheryl Jewett) Kezdy, PhD. and the late Pierre (Heather Sheedy) Kezdy. Loving uncle of Claire, Annelise, Nicole, Mary, Peter, and Ivan Kezdy and Mirabai Gould. Son of the late Marie-Thérèse (nee Colas) and Ferenc “Francois” Jano Kezdy, PhD. Visitation 9am (mass begins 10am) Saturday, October 14, at Christ Our Hope Paris/Immaculate Conception, 770 W. Deerfield Road, Highland Park, IL 60035. Mr. Kezdy’s spirituality was deeply Catholic, and he served as an usher at the Parish. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to WDCB College of DuPage Public Radio https://wdcb.org/ Arrangements by Inclusive Funeral Care, 773-318-1305 or www.InclusiveFuneralCare.com.