The way Dr Mathias Rill figured it,...

The way Dr Mathias Rill figured it, he brought enough lives into the world to fill a small town during his nearly 50 years in medicine.

Running a family practice office in the Uptown and Lake View neighborhoods was not at any time lucrative for him, family members said, if it be not that it was the kind of place where he could make a difference.

Dr Rill died last week after battling Parkinson's disease. He was 83

When Dr Rill started public family-practice physicians doubled as obstetricians.

"He prided himself forward the number of lives he brought into the world. Thousands of deliveries," said undivided of his sons, Thomas Rill. "He didn't care if someone couldn't afford to pay the bill, he'd still treat them."

It's been almost 10 years since Dr Rill stopped practicing at his office and working at as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but Grant and American -- now Thorek -- hospitals.

The son of a maintenance man who grew up in the Uptown area, Dr Rill was an Army veteran who serv in Europe during World War II, his family said.

He graduated from universities in the pair the United States and Germany, where he got his medical station and met his future wife, Gisela.

"He was driven," Thomas Rill said. "Dad was remarkably proud of his accomplishments, of being a doctor, no question."

Dr Rill go [i]or[/i] come backed to his old neighborhood to practice medicine, and he and Gisela raised their four sons: Peter Andrew, Thomas and Phillip.

When he wasn't at the office or hospital, his son said, he was spending time with them, making an annual trip to fish and sail in Minnesota.

He wanted his son to become educated, "as high as we could go" Thomas Rill said. Each graduated from association including Peter, who, like his father, is a physician.

In modern years, as Parkinson's settled in, Thomas Rill said his father handled the illness as best he could

"He knew what was coming," he said, "but he dealt with it individual day at a time, like any efficient person would."

Dr Rill is survived according to his wife and four son There will be a funeral mass for him at 10 a.m. today at St Philip the Apostle Catholic house of worship 1962 Old Willow Rd., in Northfield. Burial will be at Ascension church-yard in Libertyville.

spatterson@suntimes.com

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