Burton Joseph, 79, a Chicago lawyer who devoted his life to his family and to defending civil liberties, died Wednesday, March 31, at his second home in San Francisco, CA, surrounded by his loving family. He leaves a rich legacy of love, laughter and a reputation as devoted defender of the First Amendment. With his generous pro bono help and direction, the Illinois affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union grew from a handful of staffers to become a strong force in the defense of the First Amendment. He was also a early and vociferous proponent of women’s and reproductive rights, prison and death penalty reform, and the rights of gays and lesbians. A graduate of DePaul Law School, he practiced law in Chicago for almost 60 years. Mr. Joseph served for many years as Executive Director and then Chair of the Playboy Foundation supporting the causes in which he believed. Honored by the ACLU in 1995, he was also awarded the 2008 Roll of Honor Award from the Freedom to Read Foundation of the American Library Association. He is survived by his adored wife of 59 years, Babette, three daughters, Jody (Doug Welch), Kathy (Tom Doyle) and Amy (Herb Brosowsky), four grandchildren, Ari and Anna Brosowsky of San Francisco, and Rob and Laura Welch of Dundas, Ontario, Canada, and a brother, Jack (Gerda), of Chicago, and their children Resi and James. He also leaves an enormous universe of beloved friends and colleagues, spanning continents and generations. Though a forceful and effective advocate, he turned even his opponents into friends. A celebration of his life will be held in Evanston, IL at his home on May 22. Bay Area friends are also welcome to visit the family at their San Francisco home this Saturday, April 3 from 3-8pm. Contributions in his memory may be directed to the Roger Baldwin Foundation of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, 180 N. Michigan Av., Suite 2300, Chicago IL 60601.