Frederick E. Rakestraw

Frederick E. Rakestraw Age 80, of Rochester, Indiana, passed away Wednesday, August 18, 2004. Born on August 29, 1923 in Lima, Ohio, the son of John Franklin and Hettie (Driver) Rakestraw. On December 25, 1943 in Wabash County, he married Wilodean Weimer and she survives. Mr. Rakestraw served with the U.S. Army in the Signal Corps during European Theatre of WW II. He graduated from the Indiana University School of Law in 1949, the beginning of 53 years in the legal profession. In 1954 he was elected Fulton County Circuit Court Judge, becoming the first Democrat elected in the county for 18 years. He served in that position for 11 years and in January 1966, he was appointed by Gov. Roger Branigan to fill a vacancy on the Indiana Supreme Court. From 1967 until his retirement in 2002, he practiced law, first in Plymouth, and then in Rochester. He was a member of the American Bar Association, Indiana Bar Association and Fulton County Bar Association. He was a member of the First Christian Church, Rochester, where he served as an Elder, Sunday School Teacher for over 45 years and a Board Chairman several times, and a 45 year member of the Kiwanis Club. Survivors include his wife, Wilodean Rakestraw, Rochester; daughters, Carol (Randy) Wolfe, Owensboro, KY, Lynne (Michael) Kidder of Frederick, MD; sons, Paul (Regina) Rakestraw, Rochester, NY, John (Marsha) Rakestraw, Portland, OR; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sisters, Jeanne Faoro, Pacific Palisades, CA, and Betty Woods, LaPorte, IN. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Helen Mitchell of Indianapolis. Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 21 at the First Christian Church, Rochester. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday in Zimmerman Bros. Funeral Home, Rochester, IN. Burial will be in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Rochester. Memorial contributions may be made to the Building Fund, First Christian Church, Rochester, IN.