Obit: Schoengarth, Oscar W. #2 (1879 – 1964)

Contact:  Pat Braun

Email:  braunp@tds.net

Surnames:  Schoengarth,

----Source:   Owen Enterprise (Owen, Clark Co., Wis.) 6/18/1964

Schoengarth, Oscar W. (1879 – 1964)

JUDGE SCHOENGARTH DIES AT NEILLSVILLE

Oscar W. Schoengarth, 84, who set an unbeatable record of 50 years of service as Clark county Judge, died at 5:10 p.m. Tuesday at the Memorial Home at Neillsville where he had been a patient the past several months.  He was born June 28, 1879.

He became police justice in 1901 immediately after graduation from the law school at the University of Wisconsin and in January, 1906, he became judge of the Clark County Court.  He retained that post until his retirement in 1956, slightly more than 50 years later.  His son, Lowell D. Schoengarth then became Clark County Judge and served until the end of 1963.  In January of this year, Lowell became Judge of the 17^th judicial circuit.

Judge Schoengarth’s record of longevity on the county court bench will remain unbroken by reason of law, which he is long administered.  Under Wisconsin law one cannot be admitted to the bar and practice law until the age of 21.  Mandatory retirement as judge is set at the age of 70, thus leaving a maximum of only 49 years of service possible.

He was a member of the United Church of Christ, the Blue Lodge and the Commandery.  He was a former officer of the State Judge’s Association and a Director of the First National Bank of Neillsville.

Beside his son he is survived by four grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at the United Church of Christ at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, with burial in the Neillsville Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Georgas Funeral Home until 2:00 p.m. Saturday and then at the church.