In memoriam: July-August 2024

Hon. Clifford H. Ahrens, 78, of Hannibal, on May 22, 2024. Ahrens was a lawyer at Rendlen, Rendlen, Ahrens, Browne, and Rendlen before serving as a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals-Eastern District. After retiring from the court in 2015, he served as a senior judge until 2022. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1969. 

Joshua Kenneth “Josh” Allen, age 46, of Leawood, KS, on Dec. 9, 2023. Allen was assistant district attorney in Wyandotte County before opening his private practice. He graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 2008. 

Hon. Thomas R. Alley, age 68, of Bethany, on April 5, 2023. Alley worked at Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young) before opening his own law office. He served as Kearney municipal judge, an adjunct professor at William Jewell College, and prosecuting attorney for Bethany. Alley graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1985. 

Catalina M. Alvarez, age 85, of St. Louis, on March 17, 2024. Alvarez began her legal career as a trial lawyer with the Legal Aid Society of St. Louis (Delmar office) before becoming a trial lawyer with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In 1980, Alvarez founded the law firm of Alter & Alvarez in Clayton, where she remained in practice for over 39 years. Alvarez graduated from the Washington University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1978. 

Cheryl Denise Beebe-Snell, age 64, of St. Louis, on May 2, 2024. After being admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1983, Beebe-Snell became partner at Danna McKitrick Attorneys at Law. She received her juris doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and her Master of Laws from the Washington University School of Law. 

Thomas John Barklage, age 73, of St. Charles, June 12, 2024. Barklage was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1975. 

Eric Verne Barnhart, age 52, of Clayton, on May 10, 2024. Barnhart graduated from the Saint Louis University School of Law, was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1999, and operated a private practice. 

Bret Allen Cohen, age 56, of Boston, MA, on June 12, 2023. Cohen was partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough. He graduated from the Saint Louis University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1994. 

Susan Gum Crigler, age 69, of Columbia, on June 13, 2024. Crigler was an assistant city attorney for Columbia until her retirement. She graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1979. 

Hon. Robert F. Devoy, age 97, of Brookfield, on June 18, 2024. Devoy served as circuit judge in Missouri’s 9th Judicial Circuit from 1982 until his retirement in 1994. He continued serving as a senior judge until 2011. Devoy graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1955. 

William Thomas “Dub” Duston, age 49, of Forsyth, on May 17, 2023. Duston was assistant prosecuting attorney and prosecuting attorney for Taney County, as well as prosecutor and city attorney of Branson. He was also a lawyer at Allman, Ingrum, and Wilson, P.C. He graduated from the American University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 2003. 

Bryce David Gamblin, age 51, of St. Louis, on April 2, 2023. After being admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1996, Gamblin was senior administrative counsel for 28 years to the Missouri Department of Transportation. 

Phillip K. Gebhardt, age 65, of De Soto, on Sept. 30, 2022. Gebhardt owned Gebhardt Real Estate and Legal Services and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1981. 

Albert Henry “Hap” Hamel, age 95, of Clayton, on May 3, 2024. Hamel was a lawyer at Lashly & Baer, P.C. and later became a sole practitioner, focusing on business, banking, litigation, wills, trusts, probate, and real property. He was also an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri and an executive assistant to the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney. He graduated from the Washington University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1955. Hamel served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. 

William Price Harned, age 76, of Mountain Home, AR, on May 20, 2024. Harned graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1981. 

Charles A. Kellogg, age 76, of Independence, on Oct. 19, 2023. After graduating from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and being admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1987, Kellogg practiced for over 35 years. Kellogg served in the U.S. Army. 

Hon. William A. Kitchen, 95, of Paducah, KY, on Dec. 23, 2023. A retired administrative law judge, Kitchen served as a special agent in the FBI and an assistant U.S. attorney in Kansas City. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1952. 

Barbara Klima, age 73, of St. Joseph, on March 7, 2024. After being admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1989, Klima was assistant prosecuting attorney for child support in northwest Missouri. 

Timothy A. “Skip” Kohlenhoefer, age 51, of St. Charles, on May 21, 2024. Kohlenhoefer served in the U.S. Army Reserve and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 2001. 

John Patrick Madigan Jr., age 83, of Lake Ozark, on April 15, 2024. Madigan was a lawyer for over 40 years and chairman of the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. He graduated from the Saint Louis University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1965. 

Michael J. Messina, age 83, of Kansas City, on July 26, 2023. Before starting an estate and tax planning practice in Kansas City in the 1980s, Messina graduated from the University of Notre Dame School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1964. 

Hugh Joseph Nugent, age 93, of Alexandria, VA, on March 11, 2024. Nugent was director of education for the Federal Judicial Center and American University’s Center for the Administration of Justice, as well as founder of Hart, Nugent & Ahearn, P.C. Attorney and Counseling at Law. He graduated from the University of Kansas City School of Law and the Georgetown University School of Law. Nugent was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1958. 

Robert L. Nussbaumer, age 82, of St. Louis, on Jan. 21, 2024. Nussbaumer was a lawyer for 40 years, specializing in insurance defense. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1971. 

Walter S. Pettit Jr., age 97, of Aurora, on April 19, 2024. Pettit worked at Neal and Newman Law Firm in Springfield before moving to Aurora, where he concentrated his practice in estate planning, probate, corporate, and real estate law. He was a partner at Pettit Law Office with his son and grandson when he retired at the age of 94. Pettit graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1953. He served in the U.S. Army. 

William Daniel Piedimonte, age 76, of Independence, on April 12, 2024. Piedimonte graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law, was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1972, and founded Piedimonte & Associates.

Carl C. Polster, age 77, of Kirkwood, on June 11, 2024. Polster practiced law in St. Louis for 53 years, focusing on estate planning. He graduated from the Washington University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1971. 

Alan Elliott Siegel, age 79, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, on March 28, 2024. He was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1975. 

Jill A. Silverstein, age 66, of St. Louis, on April 17, 2024. Silverstein was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1984. 

Roderick E. Smith, age 58, of Kansas City, on May 7, 2024. Smith was a lawyer at Basil North Law Firm before founding his solo practice. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1995. 

Joseph R. Soraghan, age 82, of Kirkwood, on Oct. 26, 2023. Soraghan was a shareholder at Danna McKitrick, P.C. He graduated from the Washington University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1965. Soraghan served in the U.S. Navy.