Funeral Details

Milt Herst was one of the great fighters for the basic American freedoms of free speech, free assembly, and civil rights. With my Dad, Chuck, he fought tirelessly against demagogues like Joseph McCarthy for what he loved. The organization he helped to found, Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights, carries on today. His memory will be a blessing through his work and his gentle but noble devotion to his ideals.

Lori Lippitz

As president of the Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights, I first want to extend the condolences of our board to Ilse and all others of Milt's family.
We all have such warm and positive memories of Milt's tireless contributions to the struggle for civil liberties over so many decades.
I will never forget the evenings at the Herst dining table with Milt and Ilse, preparing mailings for CCDBR events, talking about all the challenges to Bill of Rights, hearing about Milt's childhood in Slovakia, admiring the generosity of spirit and dogged determination of both of them.
Milt was always the volunteer to handle the admissions table and ticketing at our events, always on hand to do any task that would further our mission: countless hours in our office, writing thank-you notes, taking care of business. And all this after such long bus and El rides!
I loved hearing about his meeting with W.E.B. DuBois, his recollections of union struggles, his wry comments about corrupt politicians.
We will miss you, Milt.

bob clarke

Milt, you are a hero to me. I learned so much from you about fighting for justice and liberty. You will be missed, but you will live on in the work you helped launch and keep going. You are a shining example of integrity, compassion, relentless pursuit of what is right, combined with gentleness and kindness.

You will not be forgotten.


Sue Udry

The death of Milt Herst is a great loss for The Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights (CCDBR).. Until illness and his advanced age forced him to stop, he came down to our office week after week to open the mail, register contributions, do whatever was needed. It was a long distance for him, but he never complained. His commitment to our mission was almost endless, but what I want to speak of even more is his generosity, his kindness, his gift for friendship. For example--the soup kitchen, which he initiated as a joint project between his synagogue and a neighboring church. He served soup there almost every week. His personal kindness to everyone, including me. When I was admitted to the Self/Help Home for rehab, he visited me on the eighth floor every day, just to ask how I was doing, and to encourage me. It made a real difference.


He was a beautiful human being, and all who knew him are a litle poorer because of his loss.


Anna Nessy Perlberg, Secretary, CCDBR

Anna Nessy Perlberg