Robert S. Gettinger, 86, of New Haven, Missouri, and formerly of LaPorte, Indiana, died at 10:45 a.m. on Monday, January 3, 2005 at the New Haven Care Center.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 10, 2004 at the LaPorte St. Paul United Church of Christ with Rev. Richard Henry Jr. and Rev. Victor Frohne officiating. The family will receive friends on Monday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services at the church. A private family interment will be held at Pine Lake Cemetery.
Robert was born August 3, 1918, in Anderson, IN to Cletus & Mae (Strock) Gettinger. On August 22, 1943, he married Irma Williams, who preceded him in death April 13, 2003.
Surviving are daughters Nancy Lynn Gettinger of Atlanta, GA, Maribeth Brown of Madison, WI and Julia Ann Strubberg of New Haven, MO and 10 grandchildren. A daughter, Gail Elliott, and a grandchild preceded him in death.
He graduated form Anderson High School in 1936 and Hanover College in 1940, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He graduated Indiana School of Law with a Juris Doctor Degree. He was admitted to practice law in Indiana in 1947, entering legal practice in LaPorte from 1947-1977. He served as judge in the LaPorte City Court from 1953-55 and 1964-68. He served as prosecuting attorney from 1957-58. From 1969-76 he was Probate Commissioner in the Indiana Circuit Court, LaPorte County. He was then elected LaPorte Circuit Court Judge for 3 terms, beginning in 1977 and ending Dec. 31, 1994. Upon retirement, he was named a Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana's highest civilian award, by then Governor Evan Bayh and was awarded the alumni Achievement Award for Professional Accomplishment by Hanover College. He was also appointed Senior Judge by the Indiana Supreme Court and since 1995 had worked in that capacity, two days a week, in LaPorte Circuit Court.
He was a member of the American Judicature Society, the Indiana Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness, the LaPorte City Bar Association (past president), the LaPorte Count Bar Association (past president), the Indiana State and American Bar Associations, the Masons, the Scottish Rite, the American Legion, The VFW, the LaPorte County Historical Society, and a past member of the Lions Club (past president). He was an American Field Service Director, was on the Board of Directors of the Youth Service Bureau and had established Teen Court, which was used as a model in other counties. He was also a WW II veteran, serving as a US Marine, with the rank of Major.
Memorials may be made to Hanover College, P.O. Box 250., LaPorte, IN 46352 or to the Indiana Bar Association, 230 E. Ohio Street, Suite #200, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
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A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 10, 2004 at the LaPorte St. Paul United Church of Christ with Rev. Richard Henry Jr. and Rev. Victor Frohne officiating. The family will receive friends on Monday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services at the church. A private family interment will be held at Pine Lake Cemetery.
Robert was born August 3, 1918, in Anderson, IN to Cletus & Mae (Strock) Gettinger. On August 22, 1943, he married Irma Williams, who preceded him in death April 13, 2003.
Surviving are daughters Nancy Lynn Gettinger of Atlanta, GA, Maribeth Brown of Madison, WI and Julia Ann Strubberg of New Haven, MO and 10 grandchildren. A daughter, Gail Elliott, and a grandchild preceded him in death.
He graduated form Anderson High School in 1936 and Hanover College in 1940, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He graduated Indiana School of Law with a Juris Doctor Degree. He was admitted to practice law in Indiana in 1947, entering legal practice in LaPorte from 1947-1977. He served as judge in the LaPorte City Court from 1953-55 and 1964-68. He served as prosecuting attorney from 1957-58. From 1969-76 he was Probate Commissioner in the Indiana Circuit Court, LaPorte County. He was then elected LaPorte Circuit Court Judge for 3 terms, beginning in 1977 and ending Dec. 31, 1994. Upon retirement, he was named a Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana's highest civilian award, by then Governor Evan Bayh and was awarded the alumni Achievement Award for Professional Accomplishment by Hanover College. He was also appointed Senior Judge by the Indiana Supreme Court and since 1995 had worked in that capacity, two days a week, in LaPorte Circuit Court.
He was a member of the American Judicature Society, the Indiana Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness, the LaPorte City Bar Association (past president), the LaPorte Count Bar Association (past president), the Indiana State and American Bar Associations, the Masons, the Scottish Rite, the American Legion, The VFW, the LaPorte County Historical Society, and a past member of the Lions Club (past president). He was an American Field Service Director, was on the Board of Directors of the Youth Service Bureau and had established Teen Court, which was used as a model in other counties. He was also a WW II veteran, serving as a US Marine, with the rank of Major.
Memorials may be made to Hanover College, P.O. Box 250., LaPorte, IN 46352 or to the Indiana Bar Association, 230 E. Ohio Street, Suite #200, Indianapolis, IN 46204.