Family of Palatine Officer Who Died To Receive Pension Check

From IPPFA: The Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA) will present a $10,000 check to the family of Palatine Police Officer Mark Dahlem, who died recently from an aggressive form of brain cancer. The donation will be presented during a fundraiser being held for the family on Thursday, March 21 from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Oak Alley Saloon, 783 N. Quentin Road in Palatine.

“When police officers or firefighters die as a result of a work-related injury or illness, their families are usually well taken care of in Illinois,” said IPPFA President James McNamee. “But the families of public safety workers who pass away or are incapacitated due to something that is not job-related often fall through the cracks, even though they have a real need. We are humbled and honored to help Mark Dahlem's family and honor the legacy of his service.”

The IPPFA's Heroes Family Fund, financed through private donations, is used to help pension fund members and their families who face loss of income due to an illness, injury or death. The $10,000 check to be presented March 21 will help Dahlem's wife, daughter and son as they continue to deal with the death of their husband and father.

The IPPFA was founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit organization whose mandate was to educate public pension fund trustees. In 2009 the IPPFA became the primary education provider for public pension fund trustees in the state of Illinois, and its members manage more than $18 billion in pension assets.

Retirement benefits are provided to police officers and firefighters through local pension funds in Illinois. The funds are regulated by state law, but they are managed by local boards of trustees. There are 643 pension funds for police officers and firefighters in Illinois, 641 of them downstate and two in Chicago.