Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Robert L. Rasor, whose family history is deeply rooted in the local legal system, died Tuesday. He was 74.
For years, Rasor worked behind an old, ornate desk built for his father by the same man who constructed the interior woodwork of Kosciusko County Courthouse's old courtroom, and until his death worked daily at the law office he founded with his father, Everest, nearly 50 years ago.
Rasor suffered from heart problems and died Tuesday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
"Bob was a brilliant man," said Rex Reed, one of five men who worked with Rasor and went on to become judges.
"He had a very sharp legal mind. He was an extremely gentle person - not one to raise his voice. Sort of a lawyer's lawyer," Reed said. "If a lawyer wanted to know something, he'd go ask Bob Rasor about it."
Rasor also had a wealth of details about local facts, Reed said.
In many ways, he was part of the community's history.
While specializing in corporate and estate-planning law, Rasor served in other capacities. He was a founding member of Kosciusko County Foundation, was a long-time board member of the Warsaw Community Public Library, and served as the county attorney nearly 20 years.
He was also chairman of the Lake City Bank Board of Directors and represented Zimmer Inc., the world's largest orthopedic manufacturer, for most of his legal career.
Rasor received his law degree from Indiana University in 1949. Shortly afterward, he and his father, Everett, founded the Warsaw law firm Rasor and Rasor. The firm's name changed over the years, and is currently known as Lemon, Armey, Hearn and Leininger.
He is a past president of Kosciusko County Bar Association and retired as a partner in the law firm in 1992. He continued to serve as a counsel of the firm until his death.
His grandfather, Aaron, was an attorney who was the county's first clerk of the court. His brother, Allan, was an attorney and served as a county prosecutor and later judge of the Superior Court. His oldest son, Dennis, is an attorney in Chicago.
In addition to Allan Rasor and Reed, colleagues who became judges include William Garrard, an appeals court judge in Indianapolis; Jesse Eschbach, a federal judge; and Loren Collier, who was the first judge of Kosciusko County Court.
