PARKERSBURG - Longtime Wood County Judge Arthur N. Gustke died Sunday at his residence at the age of 80.
A Parkersburg native, Gustke served on the 4th Judicial Circuit Court in Wood County for 18 years, including serving as chief judge twice.
During his judgeship, he had a passion for improving the lives of troubled youth, which resulted in him receiving many awards and distinctions, one of which was having the Arthur N. Gustke Shelter for Youth named in his honor.
He also was the first recipient of the Nicely Award in 1994, received the Distinguished Service Award in 1962, Citizen of the Year Award for Wood County in 1979, and the West Virginia University Emeritus Award.
He was a United States Army Signal Corps veteran and a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. He graduated from Parkersburg High School in 1946, West Virginia University in 1953, and West Virginia University College of Law in 1956. He was an avid fan of Parkersburg High School football and West Virginia University football and basketball. He played football for both schools. He was on the Board of the West Virginia University at Parkersburg Foundation and Wood County Commission on Crime, Delinquency and Corrections.
Funeral services will be 6 p.m. Wednesday at Leavitt Funeral Home in Parkersburg, with Pastor Beth Pyles officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.
Wood County Circuit Judge J.D. Beane said Sunday he was sorry to hear the news of Gustke's death.
He said Gustke was a big encouragement personally for him when Beane took office as judge in 2007. Despite retiring in 1992, Gustke remained active in Wood County's circuit court system and served many times as a substitute judge filling in for absent judges over the years.
Even before becoming a judge, Beane worked with Gustke many times over the years when he appeared as an attorney in his courtroom.
"As an attorney, it was a pleasure to practice law in front of him. He was dedicated and took his time," Beane said.
Local attorney Walt Auvil said the dedication Gustke had to juvenile issues was great and he believes the judge had a deep impact on the local community.
"He always had their best interests at heart and tried to make the system work for them," Auvil said.
Charleston resident Harry Deitzler, a former Parkersburg attorney and Wood County Prosecutor, remembers Gustke well.
"First, he was a dear friend, a mentor and a wonderful teacher," Deitzler said Sunday night.
Gustke cared about his work and the people for whom he made decisions about their lives, he said, particularly when he was the juvenile court judge for Wood County. The judge would work long hours on those types of cases, Deitzler said. The judge thought everyone had to work together to help juveniles, from the courts and schools to other support services.
"When it came to juveniles and making sure they were taken care of properly, he was an immovable object," Deitzler said. "He also had a great sense of humor, though."
Wood County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Reed, who succeeded Gustke after the judge retired in December 1992, said Gustke was someone many people around the community respected.
"I thought he was a great judge," Reed said Sunday night.
There are a number of practices at the Wood County Circuit Court judges still do today that originated with Gustke, including starting trials on Tuesdays to allow the court personnel to call potential jurors on Monday to make sure they can make it to court the following day, as well as having certain hearings at certain times.
"There were so many things he did that we still do," Reed said. "We do them because they work.
"I still use the same jury instructions he used."
Gustke spent a lot of time working on juvenile cases, looking at each case to make sure the right plan of action was carried out for the juvenile in question, Reed said. Gustke's work with juveniles led to the naming of the Gustke Shelter in his honor.
"There is so much that can be said about the man," Reed said. "He was known statewide."
Before becoming a judge himself, Reed served as a defense attorney and as Wood County Prosecutor with many cases before Gustke and always had a lot of respect for the man. Reed said there were a lot of things he picked up from Gustke that has helped him in his own career.
"He was a good man," he said. "He really cared about being a judge."
Although Reed has worked with many good judges over his career, he said he always thinks of Gustke as the one who he still thinks of in how a judge conducts a court, because of all the time he spent in Gustke's court presenting cases.
"I still think of him as the experienced judge," Reed said. "The community has lost a pillar."
Wood County Circuit Judge Robert Waters had known Gustke professionally since 1979, having worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney on over 50 trials before the judge.
Waters said Gustke was well respected by his fellow judges around the state and by the state Supreme Court. Gustke was a past president of the state's judicial association and had taught many programs to judges around the state.
"He was an outstanding judge and one of the most respected judges in West Virginia," Waters said Sunday night. "He was a good friend to me and the people of this community.
"I consider him a friend and a mentor."
Waters learned a lot about trying cases, trial procedure and the rules of evidence from Gustke. He said Gustke was known as a hard worker, holding hearings until 7 p.m. or so.
"He was known for diligently working on cases," Waters said, adding in recent years he had been called back to help at the circuit court when a sitting judge was out and was called back as a special judge on many cases.
One of Gustke's most enduring legacies was the work he did for troubled juveniles in providing them with safe places to go, which led to the Gustke Shelter being named after him.
"He worked diligently and tirelessly to provide services for young people in this community," Waters said. "He was always trying to improve the conditions for them.
"I think that was his greatest legacy."
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