Joseph Dailing, founder of Prairie State Legal Services in Rockford, dies at age 78
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Joseph Dailing, who helped thousands of people in need obtain legal services they couldn’t otherwise afford, has died at age 78.
Dailing founded Prairie State Legal Services, a nonprofit that works to ensure equal access to the justice system, in 1977 by bringing together several single-county bar association legal aid programs. Prairie State initially operated in five counties — Kane, Lake, McLean, Peoria and Winnebago — and today serves people in 36 counties in northern and central Illinois.
Dailing, who died Thursday, also led the organization as its executive director for 29 years before retiring in 2006. He leaves “an incredible legacy of promoting access to justice for all,” Prairie Street said in announcing his death. Dailing was buried on Tuesday.
“Under Joe’s leadership, Prairie State grew to serve 30 counties, served tens of thousands of people in need and addressed inequities in how government agencies treated people who relied upon services,” the organization said in a news release.
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Dailing was born in Moline on Sept. 12, 1943. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1966 before obtaining his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa in 1974.
He later led Prairie State in a fight against national attacks on funding for legal aid services, and he was known for seeking staff involvement during the process of reconfiguring the organization.
“As noted by others, Joe always communicated so clearly and had a strong vision for our firm and how to get things done,” Prairie State wrote. “Joe simply inspired people and created a sense of a caring community within Prairie State.”
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He was recognized in 1992 by the Winnebago County Bar Foundation with the Seeley P. Forbes Memorial Award and by Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois with its Board of Directors’ Award. In 2014, he received the Illinois Bar Foundation Leadership and Dedication to the Law Award.
He was also active in several community improvement efforts, including historic preservation and serving on a Fair Housing Commission as well as a number of other organizations.
He is survived by his wife of 47 year Diane and his children, Elizabeth Dailing and Paul (Lisa) Dailing, grandchildren Samuel and Nora Dailing, sister Mary Lappe, brother-in-law Richard (Gwen Schoolar) Rose and numerous nieces and nephews.
