Horace W. Wilkie
The Honorable Horace W. Wilkie | |
|---|---|
| 21st Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court | |
| In office August 1, 1974 – May 23, 1976 | |
| Preceded by | E. Harold Hallows |
| Succeeded by | Bruce F. Beilfuss |
| Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court | |
| In office June 5, 1962 – May 23, 1976 | |
| Appointed by | Gaylord Nelson |
| Preceded by | Grover L. Broadfoot |
| Succeeded by | Shirley Abrahamson |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 26th district | |
| In office January 7, 1957 – June 5, 1962 | |
| Preceded by | Gaylord Nelson |
| Succeeded by | Fred A. Risser |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 9, 1917 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | May 23, 1976 (aged 59) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Resting place | Roselawn Memorial Park, Monona, Wisconsin |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Marian Cora Beardsley (died 1998) |
| Children | 5 daughters |
| Parent |
|
| Alma mater | |
| Profession | lawyer, judge |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Coast Guard |
Horace White Wilkie (January 9, 1917 – May 23, 1976) was an American attorney, judge, and Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He was the 21st Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (1974–1976) and served a total of 14 years on the court (1962–1976). Before being appointed to the Court, he served five years in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Madison, Wisconsin.
Early life, family, education, and career
Wilkie was in Madison, Wisconsin,[1] He attended elementary school and high school locally. He then attended what is now the University of Wisconsin–Madison, graduating in 1933 with a Bachelor of Arts. He received his law degree from George Washington University in 1944.[2] He also completed some graduate work in the field of public administration at various institutions, including the University of Minnesota, the National Institute of Public Affairs, and American University.[2]
During World War II, Wilkie served in the United States Coast Guard.[3]
Wilkie's father, Harold M. Wilkie, was a prominent Wisconsin lawyer, and served as member of the Board of Regents for the University of Wisconsin. One of Wilkie's brothers, Edwin (a member of the Republican Party) served as both the district attorney of Dane County and as a Dane County Circuit Court judge.[2]
Political career
After the war, he helped revive the Democratic Party of Wisconsin with other young liberals and former members of the Wisconsin Progressive Party in what was known as the Democratic Organizing Committee.[3] Wilkie ran for Congress three times in 1948, 1950, and 1952.[3]
State Senate
In 1956, Wilkie was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate, representing the 26th district.[2][3] As a state senator, he frequently backed liberal legislation. This included supporting more liberal laws regarding public welfare, stricter campaign finance and election laws, and pay increases for faculty at state universities. During the governorship of fellow Democrat Gaylord Nelson, Wilkie was a legislative ally of Nelson's.[2]
Wilkie served on the Education; Welfare; Labor; Taxation; Insurance and Banking; and Joint Finance committees.[2]
Supreme Court
In 1962, Nelson appointed Wilkie to the Wisconsin Supreme Court to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Grover L. Broadfoot.[2] Wilkie was subsequently elected to two full terms on the court in 1964 and 1974. He became chief justice of the court in 1974, serving until his death.[3][4][5]
Death
Wilkie died of a heart attack in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1976.[1]
An odd coincidence of Justice Wilkie's career is that his successors in the Wisconsin State Senate and Wisconsin Supreme Court both became the longest-serving members of those respective bodies. Fred A. Risser, who succeeded him in the Senate, served from 1962 through 2021.[6] Shirley Abrahamson, who succeeded him on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, served from 1976 through 2019.[7] She died on December 19, 2020, in Berkeley, California.
References
- ^ a b "Chief Justice Wilkie Dies in Pennsylvania". The Sheboygan Press. May 24, 1976. p. 1. Retrieved July 19, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Nelson Appoints Horace Wilkie to State Supreme Court". Wisconsin State Journal. May 26, 1962. p. 1. Retrieved November 4, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Chief Justice Horace Wilkie". The Capital Times. May 25, 1976. p. 40. Retrieved July 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Horace Wilkie, Wisconsin Historical Society". Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
- ^ "Chief Justice Horace Wilkie, Wisconsin Supreme Court". Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
- ^ Johnson, Shawn (March 26, 2020). "Fred Risser, Nation's Longest-Serving State Legislator, To Retire". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ "Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved March 24, 2021.