Jordan B. Rifis

Jordan B. Rifis, Esq., passed on February 20, 2025 at the age of seventy-nine. He was born in Chicago, IL on March 26, 1945 to Albert and Edith Rifis. He was educated at Austin High School, and attended Roosevelt University for his undergraduate studies focusing on literature, writing, and law, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1968. He then went on to attend DePaul University for Law School, earning his Juris Doctorate in 1971.

His legal career saw him begin in insurance for ten years, when he abruptly abandoned that course for his true passion - fighting for the underdog. He did this largely in family law, workers’ compensation and personal injury matters. Never retiring, Jordan worked up until the very end, totaling over fifty years, offering the most thorough and zealous representation which he could muster. He frequently took clients who had been rejected by other attorneys, and he found great pride in trying to leverage the power of the law and legal system on their behalf. As he once wrote, laws are the rules established and accepted by society for the benefit of the people. He should be remembered as an advocate for the underprivileged and every person who found themselves battling against insurance companies, fighting for custody of their children, or needing to ensure the financial security of their families or businesses.

He spent his last weeks enjoying the company of his wife of thirty-seven years, Paula Cox, his sister and brother-in-law, Lana and Al Kushinsky, his daughter Jennifer Meng (and her family, husband, Mark and grandchildren Jordyn and Nicholas), his son Justin (wife, Elizabeth and granddaughters, Quinn and Zoe), and his son Jared (wife, Morgan and grandson, Hudson). This family, along with his cousins and other family, filled Jordan’s heart throughout his life.

Additionally, he will be dearly missed by many friends, including the Tuesday Golf Club, monthly poker night, and Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Oak Park. These groups were full of friends who brought him great joy, and with whom he sometimes traveled across the country sharing ideas, life experiences and perspectives. The golf group even occasionally finished a round or two, and we’re sure they’ll be in need of an articulate, ardent Democrat to help fill ranks.

As his favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart, had been known to say, “When you’re dead that’s it, you’ve got to press on, because life is for the living.” But he also stated, more emblematically, “Love is the one emotion which can relieve, as is ever possible, the essential loneliness of it all.” Jordan loved his family, friends, clients and most others fully and with all his heart. Those who had the good fortune to know Jordan, felt the warmth and joy he brought to life, and how openly they would be accepted.

A ceremonial service will be held Saturday, June 21 at 2:00pm at Elizabeth F. Cheney Mansion, 220 N Euclid Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the charity of your choice. One of Jordan’s favorites was Parenthesis, an organization that is now a part of New Moms, which provides Housing, paid Job Training, College Success, and Family Support for young moms and their children: https://newmoms.org/

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