Wilodean Weimer and Frederick Eugene Rakestraw

WILODEAN WEIMER, daughter of EVA VIRGINIA KESSLER and CLAUDE WASHINGTON WEIMER, was born July 19, 1924 in Wabash, Wabash, Indiana,^{1675, 4917} and died October 17, 2012 in Lutheran Hospital of Indiana, Fort Wayne, Allen, Indiana.⁸⁰⁴⁷

She married FREDERICK EUGENE RAKESTRAW on December 25, 1943 in Wabash County, Indiana.¹⁶⁷⁵ He was born August 29, 1923 in Lima, Allen, Ohio,¹⁶⁷⁵ and died August 18, 2004 in Woodlawn Hospital, Rochester, Fulton, Indiana.^{8046, 4931} He is buried in IOOF Cemetery, Rochester, Fulton, Indiana.⁴⁹³¹

• Descendant Reports
  • Jacob Meyer Descendant Report (Ancestor of Wilodean Weimer)
  • Georg Michael Romich Descendant Report (Ancestor of Wilodean Weimer)
  • John Heilman Descendant Report (Ancestor of Wilodean Weimer)
  • Felix Stambach Descendant Report (Ancestor of Wilodean Weimer)

• Frederick Eugene Rakestraw and Wilodean Weimer were members of the First Christian Church, Rochester, Fulton, Indiana.⁸⁰⁴⁶

Frederick E. Rakestraw

• was a Veteran of World War II; served in the Signal Corps in the European Theater⁸⁰⁴⁶
• was a judge in Fulton County and on the Indiana Supreme Court, and a private practice attorney in Plymouth and Rochester⁸⁰⁴⁶
• was a member of the Kiwanis Club⁸⁰⁴⁶

Wilodean Weimer

• was a science teacher at Rochester Middle School⁸⁰⁴⁷

South Bend Trbune, August 20, 2004⁸⁰⁴⁶

Former Fulton Judge Dies

Frederick Rakestraw was also an Indiana Supreme Court Justice

PLYMOUTH — A former Indiana Supreme Court justice, Fulton County judge and attorney died Wednesday.

But more importantly, Frederick Eugene Rakestraw, 80, was a husband, a father, a Rochester community member.

According to Rakestraw's on, Paul Rakestraw, a Tribune photographer, his father died unexpectedly, surrounded by his family.

Frederick Rakestraw had suffered from lymphoma for four years, Paul Rakestraw said Thursday.

Though Frederick Rakestraw spent much of his life practicing law, he loved classical music, for which he had a passion since he was a college student.

He graduated from Indiana University School of Law in 1949.

While remembering his father Thursday, Paul Rakestraw said that whenever the senior Rakestraw's grandchildren heard classical music, they referred to it as "grandpa music."

And his father's favorite quote, which summed up the man's personality and attitude toward life, was: "Take it easy. Don't get excited. Just take one day at a time."

Paul Rakestraw said that whenever his father said that, folks around him would simply smile — they had all heard that before.

And his dad was alway pretty laid back. Paul and his sisters remembered their father taking charge of Sunday evening dinners, and it was the only night of the week the Rakestraw siblings were allowed to eat in front of the television.

Dad would take orders for either peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or lunch meat sandwiches and bring a plate with the food to his charges as the family watched "Lassie" on television, Paul Rakestraw said with a laugh.

Frederick Rakestraw never complained, even when his illness was getting the best of him. He was gentle. He was quiet, his son said.

According to Laurence Norris, Frederic Rakestraw, "was a wonderful guy."

Norris was sheriff of Fulton County from 1947 through 1959, and he said Rakestraw was told he might not get along with the sheriff.

But the two got along famously, Norris said.

Norris remembered one story in particular about his old compatriot, while Rakestraw was Fulton County Circuit Court judge for 18 years after he was elected in 1954.

Norris said he took a man brought into jail on charges of public intoxication to Rakestraw's court. Rakestraw had given the man six months at the state farm but decided to suspend the sentence.

Norris said that three days later the same man broke into a nephew's home and raided the refrigerator to find some booze. He didn't find any, and to retaliate, threw all of the drinks out the back door. Needless to say, the man appeared once again before Judge Rakestraw.

Rakestraw reversed his previous sentence and sentenced the man to the farm for six months. The man asked Rakestraw if he would change his mind if the man promised to leave the county, Norris explained.

Norris said Rakestraw responded that it would be perfectly fine by him if the man left the county, but he would have to do that six months from now.

"He was a good man," Norris said.

Rakestraw was born Aug. 29, 1923, in Lima, Ohio, to John Franklin and Hettie Driver Rakestraw. He was married to Wilodean Weimer on Dec. 25, 1943.

Rakestraw served in the Signal Corps in the European Theater during World War II.

In January of 1966, he was appointed by Gov. Roger Branigan to fill a vacancy on the Indiana Supreme Court. He left the court in 1867.

From 1967 until his retirement in 2002, Rakestraw practiced law, first in Plymouth and then in Rochester.

He was a member of the American Bar Association and the Indiana Bar Association, a 45-year member of Kiwanis and was a past governor. Rakestraw served as an elder in the First Christian Church in Rochester, where he taught Sunday school for more than 45 years and served as board chairman several times.

Rakestraw is survived by his wife and five children: Carol Wolfe and husband, Randy, of Owensboro, Ky.; Lynne Kidder and husband, Michael, of Frederick, Md.; Paul Rakestraw and his wife, Regina, of South Bend; Mark Rakestraw and wife, Lynn, of Rochester, N.Y.; and John Rakestraw and wife, Marsha, of Portland, Ore.

Also surviving are 10 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two sisters, Jeanne Faoro of Pacific Palisades, Calif., and Betty J. Woods of LaPorte.

Preceding him in death were his parents and one sister, Helen Mitchell of Indianapolis.

South Bend Trbune, October 19, 2012⁸⁰⁴⁷

Wilodean "Billie" Rakestraw

July 19, 1924 — Oct. 17, 2012

ROCHESTER — Wilodean "Billie" Rakestraw, 88, of Wynnfield Crossing, Rochester, Indiana, passed away at 1:00 P.M. Wednesday, October 17, 2012, at Lutheran Hospital of Indiana, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

She was born on July 19, 1924, in Wabash, Indiana, the daughter of Claude W. and Eva Virginia (Kessler) Weimer. On December 25, 1943, in Wabash County, Indiana, she married Frederick E. Rakestraw, who preceded her in death on August 18, 2004.

Mrs. Rakestraw received her Bachelor's Degree from Indiana University. After many years of being a homemaker and raising her children, she went back to school, earning a Master's Degree from Indiana University. Upon completion of her graduate work, she started her career as a science teacher at Rochester Middle School that spanned twenty-five years. She was an active member of the First Christian Church, where she had been choir director; she had been a member of the Rochester Parks Board and the South Bend Audubon Society. In her spare time, she was an avid bird watcher, and appreciated classical music. She spent much time traveling across the country and world, sighting numerous species of birds and enjoying numerous concerts.

Survivors include her daughters, Carol J. and husband, Randy Wolfe of Owensboro, Kentucky, and Lynne and her husband, Michael Kidder of Frederick, Maryland; sons, Paul D. Rakestraw of Boulder, Colorado, Mark R. and wife, Lynn Rakestraw of Rochester, New York, and John and wife, Marsha Rakestraw of Portland Oregon; Brazilian daughter, Sonia de Senna of Belo Horizonte, Brazil; eight grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren; and special friend, Paul Davis of Rochester, Indiana. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Paul K. Weimer.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, October 20, 2012, at First Christian Church, Rochester, Indiana, with Rev. Mike VanHeyningen officiating. Friends may call from 4-8 P.M. today at Zimmerman Bros. Funeral Home, Rochester, Indiana, and one hour prior to services Saturday at the church. Burial will be at the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Rochester, Indiana. Memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church or the donor's favorite charity.