In Memoriam, March - April 2023

Mark G. Arnold, age 73, of St. Louis, on Aug. 3, 2022. Arnold practiced at Husch Blackwell for 44 years. He graduated from Washington University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1977.

Bruce H. Beckett, age 75, of Columbia, on Oct. 28, 2022. Beckett practiced law for 46 years, focusing on commercial matters, contract law, and real estate. He was a senior partner at Smith Lewis, LLP. He also served as Boone County Bar president. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1976. Beckett served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Patricia L. Brownlee, age 69, of Ballwin, on July 1, 2022. Brownlee’s practice focused on family law, personal injury, workers’ compensation, and legal negligence. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1982.

James Warren Clinton, age 79, of Fort Collins, CO, on Dec. 24, 2021. Clinton was general counsel and partner at a Denver construction business. He graduated from Washington University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1970.

Peter F. Cortelyou, age 75, of Leawood, KS, on Feb. 11, 2022. Cortelyou was president, chief executive officer, and board chairman at Tnemec Company, Inc. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1973.

Thomas A. Cunningham, age 73, of St. Louis, on Dec. 3, 2022. Cunningham was a founding shareholder of Cunningham, Vogel, and Rost, P.C. He graduated from Boston University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1989.

Robert Allen DeCamp Jr., age 69, of Shawnee, KS, on June 21, 2022. Decamp graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1994.

John G. Edwards, age 72, of St. Louis, on Oct. 18, 2022. Edwards was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1975.

Hon. Martin L.C. Feldman, age 88, of New Orleans, LA, on Jan. 26, 2022. Feldman served on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana and was the second-longest serving active federal district court judge in the country. He also served on the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. He graduated from Tulane University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1957. Feldman served in the U.S. Army.

Hon. Nancy B. Firestone, age 70, of Falls Church, VA, on Oct. 3, 2022. Firestone served as an associate judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims after working in federal government for 20 years. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1977.

Ernest M. “Ernie” Fleischer, age 89, of Kansas City, on Jan. 18, 2022. Fleischer was a tax law partner at Stinson, Mag and Fizzell for nearly 30 years before serving as chair of Franklin Savings Association. He also worked as counsel to Husch Blackwell. He graduated from Harvard School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1959. Fleischer served in the U.S. Army.

Hon. James A. “Jim” Grantham, age 83, of Sunrise Beach, on Dec. 14, 2021. Grantham served as Miller County associate circuit judge. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1969. Grantham served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Hon. Andrew J. “Andy” Hager Jr., age 83, of Shell Knob, on March 19, 2022. Hager served as Republic municipal judge, Mount Vernon city attorney, and Lawrence County prosecutor. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1969. Hager served in the U.S. Army.

Howard A. Harris, age 82, of Orange, CT, on June 24, 2022. Harris was a forensic science professor at the University of New Haven, director of the New York City Crime Lab, and director of the Monroe County Public Safety Lab. He graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1972.

Kenneth Havner, age 78, of Overland Park, KS, on Feb. 13, 2022. Havner operated a law practice in Hays, Kansas. He graduated from Washburn University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 2009. Havner served in the U.S. Army.

H. Kent Hollins, age 76, of Topeka, KS, on Jan. 17, 2021. He was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 2012.

Robert D. Hovey, age 91, of Mission Hills, KS, on Dec. 11, 2022. Hovey was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1954.

Richard A. Hyde, age 84, of Suwanee, GA, on Oct. 31, 2021. Hyde practiced at Sedgwick, Detert, Moran and Arnold in San Francisco before working at United Airlines. He graduated from the University of Michigan School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1999.

Robert J. Krehbiel, age 74, of Kirkwood, on Jan. 22, 2023. Krehbiel was a lawyer with Hellmich, Hill, Retter Law Firm for several decades. He graduated from Washington University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1980.

Stephen P. Krupp, age 63, of Linn Creek, on Jan. 14, 2023. Krupp was a corporate patent lawyer for over 25 years, working at Dow and Molecular Rebar Design. He graduated from Thomas M. Cooley School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 2016.

Hon. James Leighton Lemon, age 82, of New London, on Dec. 31, 2022. Lemon served as Ralls County ex officio magistrate and probate judge before the position was renamed to associate circuit court judge. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1971. Lemon served in the U.S. Army.

Dan Michael Lesicko, age 63, of Glen Carbon, IL, on Aug. 5, 2022. Lesicko was a lawyer at Bryan Cave before founding the Law Offices of Dan Michael Lesicko. He graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1986.

Betsy J. Levitt, age 65, of St. Louis, on Sept. 18, 2022. Levitt was a partner at Evans & Dixon Law Firm for over 40 years. She was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1983.

David D. Lodwick, age 92, of Excelsior Springs, on Aug. 5, 2022. Lodwick was Clay County assistant prosecutor and Excelsior Springs city attorney and city prosecutor. He graduated from the University of Michigan School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1958. Lodwick served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Shannon D. “Shan” Luton, age 53, of Dallas, TX, on Jan. 21, 2022. Luton was senior vice president of tax at Match Group. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1995.

William G. Mays II, age 75, of Washington, on Dec. 28, 2022. Mays graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1972.

John T. “Jack” McCaffrey, age 82, of St. Louis, on April 7, 2022. McCaffrey served in the U.S. Air Force and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1975.

Gordon F. Neary, age 89, of Chesterfield, on Feb. 2, 2022. Neary was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1992.

G. Eugene “Gene” Neil, age 80, of Prescott, AZ, on Jan. 30, 2021. Neil was Yavapai County attorney and magistrate pro tem; Maricopa County deputy county attorney; Prescott interim city attorney; Sedona assistant city attorney; and associate lawyer at Boyle, Pecharich, Cline, Whittington & Stalling. He was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1997.

James John Nero, age 85, of Pebble Beach, CA, on July 12, 2022. Nero was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1961.

George S. Newman, age 76, of St. Louis, on April 20, 2022. Newman was an immigration lawyer and helped found the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He graduated from William & Mary School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1971.

Marion Welch O’Neill, age 81, of Overland Park, KS, on May 13, 2022. O’Neill practiced corporate law and helped found the Low Income Tax Clinic at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. She graduated from UMKC School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1979.

John O. “Pat” Phelps, age 84, of Carthage, on Nov. 20, 2022. Phelps was Jasper County prosecuting attorney and a trust lawyer for United Missouri Bank. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1963. Phelps served in the U.S. Army.

Craig Marc Rappel, age 59, of Veiera, FL, on Jan. 18, 2023. Rappel was an assistant state attorney in the 18th Judicial Circuit in Florida before founding Rappel Health Law Group. He graduated from the University of Toledo School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 2019.

Virgil Dean Rodgers II, age 60, of Tipton, on Dec. 31, 2022. Rodgers graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1989.

Gregory “Michael” Rupard, age 45, of St. Louis, on Jan. 9, 2023. Rupard was a lawyer at Blitt & Gaines. He graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 2002.

David A. Shorr, age 67, of Jefferson City, on Dec. 26, 2022. Shorr was director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and practiced environmental law at Lathrop GPM. He graduated from John Marshall University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1990.

David Brian Smith, age 60, of Springfield, on Dec. 18, 2022. Smith was a lawyer with the Missouri State Public Defender system. He graduated from the University of Tulsa School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1990.

Ruth A. Streit, age 75, of Chesterfield, on Dec. 9, 2022. Streit was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1993.

Gray Carroll Stribling Jr., age 81, of St. Louis, on Jan. 20, 2023. Stribling was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1967.

William F. “Bill” Sutter, age 84, of Kirkwood, on Nov. 19, 2022. Sutter was a lawyer for Pet Inc. for 27 years and retired as its vice president, general counsel, and secretary. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1965.

Charles R. Svoboda, age 95, of Kansas City, on Sept. 16, 2022. Svoboda served as in-house counsel at General Motors before opening his own law practice. He graduated from the Kansas University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1951. Svoboda served in the U.S. Navy.

Marilyn Teitelbaum, age 77, of St. Louis, on Jan. 26, 2023. Teitelbaum practiced labor and employment law and retired as a partner at Schuchat, Cook & Werner. She graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1976.

Hon. Richard Maurice Torack Jr., age 68, of St. Louis, on Jan. 4, 2023. Torack practiced law for 35 years, serving as provisional judge and court administrator for the City of St. Louis. He graduated from Washington University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1981.

Sarah R. “Liza” Townsend, age 60, of Kansas City, on Nov. 26, 2021. She graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1993.

Roberta M. “Bobbie” Truman, age 69, of Elkton, MD, on Jan. 16, 2022. Truman was a lawyer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. She graduated from the Florida State University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1988.

Stephen C. Turley, age 68, of St. Louis, on Jan. 1, 2023. Turley graduated from Washington University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1979.

Robert “Bob” Welling, age 92, of Warrensburg, on March 27, 2022. Welling operated a private practice in Warrensburg for 60 years and was the recipient of The Missouri Bar President’s Award in 1985. He graduated from the Saint Louis University School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1955. Welling served in the U.S. Army.

Gayle Catherine Williams, age 71, of Florissant, on March 13, 2022. Williams was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1976.

Victoria S. “Vikki” Williams, age 69, of Tucson, AZ, on Feb. 16, 2022. Williams worked at Policy Studies Inc. in Denver, CO. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1978.

Marie Ann Yoakum, age 63, of Cleveland, on July 25, 2019. Yoakum was a lawyer with United Biosource. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and was admitted to The Missouri Bar in 1994.