Alvin C. Lopinot Obituary (1922 - 2016)

Al Lopinot, 93, formerly of Litchfield, Illinois, passed away peacefully in his sleep at St. Joseph's Hospital in Bloomington, Illinois, on August 4, 2016. Born in Belleville, Illinois, on September 10, 1922, he attended a one-room elementary schoolhouse and graduated from Belleville Township High School. He entered the U.S. Navy in WWII and served on LST 895 in the Pacific Theater and the assault on Okinawa. Al worked as Chief Fishery Biologist for the Illinois Department of Conservation for 24 years and was the author of 6 books and over 100 papers on aquatic biology. For more than 30 years he was active as a volunteer for the city of Litchfield, Illinois, where he served on many town committees. He was active in the American Legion Post 436 and the Litchfield Rotary Club, eventually serving as a District Governor. Al was interested in photography, gardening, woodworking crafts and travel--mostly tent camping. He was inducted into Senior Illinoisan "Hall of Fame" in October, 2014. Survivors include Marge Lopinot, his wife of 70 years, children, Mary (Ron) McClintock, Ann (Jeff) Ayers, John (Susan) Lopinot, 7 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. A military burial will occur at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 12, 2016, at Camp Butler National Cemetery, 5063 Camp Butler Rd, Springfield, IL 62707, followed by a Celebration of Life luncheon at Holy Family Parish Hall in Litchfield. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Litchfield Food Pantry or Holy Family Church in Litchfield.