Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Honorable William Graham Cloon Jr., 82, of Ironwood, known as Bill to everyone, retired Ironwood attorney and former 98th District Court and 32nd Circuit Court judge of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, passed away Friday, May 3, 2013, at Marquette General Hospital in Marquette.
He was born April 11, 1931, in Ironwood, son of the late Mary (King) and William Gabriel Cloon Sr., and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School in 1948, where he was a member of the winning track team and in ROTC.
After high school, Bill spent seven years at the University of Michigan where he graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree from the law school, taking and passing the law review boards before graduation. While attending, he was an editor of the Law Review and a member of Acacia fraternity.
Upon graduation in 1955, he joined the U.S. Army and was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General’s Corp. A year was spent at the University of Virginia studying military law. He was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Fort Sheridan near Chicago.
He married Leonora Scales on June 28, 1958, at Hot Springs National Park, Ark.
Completing three years in the military, Bill’s love of the Upper Peninsula had him returning to Ironwood, joining his father’s law practice. He eventually spent many successful years with his own practice before he accepted an appointment of a judgeship. Bill spent two years sitting on the bench for the 98th District Court covering Gogebic and Ontonagon counties. He then accepted a judgeship appointment for the 32nd Circuit Court also covering Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, where he presided for six years before retiring in 1990.
In retirement, Bill was especially proud to serve in the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard. He was an avid outdoorsman his entire life and most happy in his younger years racing D hydro and runabout boats. He was also a member of the Ironwood Kiwanis Club, Ironwood Masonic Lodge and the Gogebic Country Club, and was formerly active in the AMVETS, Shrine and the Ironwood Elks Lodge.
Bill leaves behind his loving wife, Leonora “Nony,” of 54 years; son, William Gregory, daughter-in-law, Melissa, and their two sons, William Gordon and Robert Gregory, of Grand Rapids; his sister, Mary Lou Friedlander, and brother-in-law, Dr. Robert L. Friedlander, of Albany, N.Y .; and nieces, Suzan Friedlander, Cooperstown, N.Y., and Rebecca Friedlander, Denver.
Cremation has taken place.
Memorial services will be held Thursday, May 9, at 11 a.m., preceded by visitation at 9:30 a.m., at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., in Ironwood, with the Rev. Norman Kangas officiating. A Masonic memorial service will be conducted at 10:45 a.m.
Full military honors will follow, accorded by the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard.
Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery, Ironwood, at a later date.
Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Lahti, Brian Rigoni, Jerry Kimball, Marvin LaGrew, Jim Rady and Steve Bratu.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or American Cancer Society.
To view Bill’s obituary online, sign his guestbook or offer condolences, please visit mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.
