William H. Luking, 66, died at his home in Chicago, IL., Thursday, June 12, 2014.

Born August 7, 1947, he was the eldest of 9 children of Lowell and Elizabeth McCarthy Luking. He graduated from Connersville High School in 1965. A 1969 cum laude graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he graduated from Northwestern University Law School in 1972, where he edited the prestigious criminal law journal. He also held a commission as a first lieutenant in the US Army Reserves.

His family has fond memories of watching him as a participant on GE College Bowl, a popular academic TV game show that ran for years on Sunday afternoons. Unfortunately, the men from Notre Dame lost to the brainy women of Bryn Mawr that day.

"Luking," as he was fondly called by all who knew him, chose to stay in Chicago after graduation from law school, eventually founding his own firm, Luking and Associates, and becoming an influential lobbyist for the City of Chicago and other clients.

An often quoted line goes something like this: "Find something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life." Luking must have heard that early in his adult life and took it to heart. He truly loved his legal and political work and felt blessed to be a part of Chicago's business and busyness.

He represented his beloved city in the legislature in Springfield beginning in 1988, becoming involved in numerous significant issues affecting Chicago and its relationships with state government. He focused on complex matters in taxation, appropriations, economic development, public pensions, and public transit.

Luking also represented the Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Park District, Chicago City Colleges, and the Chicago Transportation Authority.

Recent work included his involvement in matters concerning the expansion of Soldier Field, negotiations resulting in Boeing's move to Chicago, the privatization of Midway Airport, and legislation needed to support the proposed Olympic Games. He took special pride in his work for the Chicago Botanical Garden.

Luking and his firm also prided themselves on the pro bono work they did to secure funding and support for the Chicago Christian Industrial League, Tuesday's Child, the Howard Area Community Association, the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center, and the Southwest Youth Collaborative.

Mayor Rahm Emmanuel asked Luking to hold his proxy on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Municipal League. Luking served on numerous and varied working groups for the Illinois State Legislature and the Illinois State Board of Elections.

For 30 years he was relied upon by multiple generations of Springfield insiders and participants. His friends and associates ranged from young interns and lawyers eager to learn the ropes to seasoned legislators who sought him out for his excellent memory of legislative matters from decades earlier.

He is survived by siblings Laura (Peter) Jamison and Meg Luking of Indianapolis; and Mary Anne Morris, Beth Luking, Gene (Debbie) Luking, Joe (Johnnie) Luking, Charlene (Larry) Wood, and Rosemary (Jay) Card, all of Connersville. He is also survived by 13 nieces and nephews and 13 great-nieces and -nephews. For the past several years he has enjoyed spending time with Springfield companion Claire Manning. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law, Samuel C. Morris.

Visitation Tuesday, June 17, at Michalik Funeral Home, 1056 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, from 3-9 p.m. Visitation Wednesday, June 18, at Old St. Patrick's Church, 700 W. Adams, Chicago from 9 a.m. until the time of the Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Interment Springersville Cemetery, Connersville, Indiana on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Showalter-Blackwell-Long Funeral Home, Myers Chapel, Connersville, Indiana in charge of local arrangements.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the following charities: Heifer International, www.heifer.org , Windy City Harvest Youth Farm of the Chicago Botanic Garden, www.chicagobotanic.org/donate/tribute , Hope School, www.thehopeschool.org , and Sojourn Shelter and Services, Inc., www.sojournshelter.org.

For further information 312-421-0936