Seligman Swartzman Gillis Sandman Joffe Yachad Lederman Fleishman

Chicago Tribune December 31, 2007|By Karoun Demirjian, Tribune staff reporter Robert Michael Buhai, 1923-2007 During World War II, Robert Buhai earned a bittersweet distinction: He was kept at home to train new artillerymen, and as a result, became the only member of his Army unit not to be killed in the Battle of the Bulge. "He felt he had been spared to do something special with his life, to make some sort of contribution to others," said his wife, Ruth Hirschfield Buhai. Mr. Buhai chose to do so at home, in Highland Park, with a long career in politics. Mr. Buhai, 84, died Thursday, Dec.27, at the Whitehall Nursing Center in Deerfield, of complications from infections after knee replacement surgery. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Mr. Buhai had been active in school politics. He met Ruth Hirschfield, a political science and economics major from New York attending the University of Wisconsin. She would become his partner in marriage and politics. So by day, Mr. Buhai ran Buhai Manufacturing, a custom furniture business, and his wife raised the couple's children. By night and on the weekends, they would organize local and state campaigns. The young couple settled in Highland Park in 1955. Mr. Buhai was rewarded for his volunteering efforts with the Chamber of Commerce's Young Man of the Year award in 1959. A decade later, friends asked Mr. Buhai to run for mayor. But he declined the offer. "He said that he had never been a city councilman and he didn't think it was fair or right to run for mayor without that experience or credential," said his daughter Barbara Buhai. Mr. Buhai, whose resume also included a stint on the Lake County Board, was a Highland Park councilman from 1971 to 1975, when he became mayor. During the 12 years in which he held the post, Mr. Buhai introduced numerous social and business projects. Among them were the city's first senior center and youth center, its first affordable housing program and a revitalized business district that brought new shops, trees and flowers to the downtown barren plaza. First known as Port Clinton Square, the plaza was renamed Buhai Plaza in 1987. The changes brought Mr. Buhai and Highland Park national recognition as well; in 1986, it was named an "All-America City," and throughout the mid-1980s, Mr. Buhai held a post on the advisory board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors -- the first suburban mayor to receive such a position. Despite his successes, Mr. Buhai never felt the desire to extend his political reach beyond Highland Park. "I used to talk to him about whether he wanted run for Congress or Senate, and he really didn't," his daughter said. "He came home every night for dinner. He went to our plays and musicals, and took us to ballgames and played tennis with us. ... He loved this community and the surroundings and the people." His wife said he really cared. "Either we were very naive or very idealistic, but he loved this city and felt that he could make an impact. He really cared about people that were in need." Other survivors include two other daughters, Betsy Buhai Zeifman and Liz Buhai-Jacobus; a sister, Nancy Buhai Gray; and seven grandchildren. kdemirjian@tribune.com http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2007-12-31/news/0712300354_1_highland-park-politics-mayor

Illinois General Assembly - Resolution SR0514 LRB095 17216 KXB 43276 r SENATE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 3 learn of the death of Robert Michael Buhai of Highland Park, 4 who passed away on December 27, 2007; and 5 WHEREAS, Robert Michael Buhai was the Past President Z.B.T. 6 at the University of Illinois, and the Past President of Buhai 7 Manufacturing Company; and 8 WHEREAS, He was the Mayor of Highland Park from 1975 to 9 1987; he served as a councilman from 1971 to 1975; he also 10 served on the city's Business and Economic Development 11 Commission from 1987 to 2007; and 12 WHEREAS, After serving as Mayor, he was elected to the Lake 13 County Board, serving from 1990 to 2002; he also served on the 14 Board's Financial and Administration Committee and was elected 15 by his fellow board members to serve as president of the Forest 16 Preserve Board from 1996 to 1998; He is remembered for his 17 devotion to public service and advocacy for seniors and youth; 18 and 19 WHEREAS, Mr. Buhai had a lifelong love of sports, and was a 20 diehard Chicago Cubs, Bears, and Bulls fan; and SR0514 - 2 - LRB095 17216 KXB 43276 r 1 WHEREAS, Robert Michael Buhai is survived by his loving 2 wife, Ruth (nee Hirschfield); his children, Betsy (Charles) 3 Zeifman, Barbara Buhai (Stephen Katz), and Liz (George) 4 Buhai-Jacobus; his grandchildren, Rebecca, Coby, and Amy 5 Zeifman, Nate and Lily Katz, and Sarah and Samantha 6 Buhai-Jacobus; and his sister, Nancy Gray; he was preceded in 7 death by his sister, Susan Beslow; and his brothers-in-law, 8 George Beslow and Stanley Gray; therefore, be it 9 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL 10 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with 11 his family, friends, and the community of Highland Park, the 12 passing of Robert Michael Buhai; and be it further 13 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 14 presented to the family of Robert Michael Buhai as a symbol of 15 our sincere sympathy. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=51&GA=95&DocTypeId=SR&DocNum=514&GAID=9&LegID=35309&SpecSess=&Session=