Waldemar Spomer

CAIRO, Ill. -- Waldemar C. "Wally" Spomer, 86, of Cairo passed away Sunday, Jan. 22, 2006.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Barkett Funeral Home.

The service is scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cairo.

Wally is survived by his wife of 63 years, retired Circuit and Appellate Court Judge Dorothy Wilbourn Spomer; son, Appellate Judge Stephen (Debra) Spomer of Cairo, son, retired U.S. Air Force Major John Asa (Barbara) Spomer of Omaha, Neb.; daughter, Lisa (Arthur) Krasnoff of Slidell, La.; six grandchildren, Amy Spomer, Adam and Rachel Krasnoff, John, Sam and Grace Spomer. He is also survived by his younger brother, Marvin Spomer of Lincoln, Neb., wife, Bonnie; sister-in-law, Naomi (David) Carr of Woodlawn Park, Colo.; and brother-in-law, Dr. Asa (Eileen) Wilbourn of Cleveland, Ohio.

Wally was born Nov. 30, 1919, in Lincoln, one of eight children of John C. and Catherine Spomer.

After graduating from high school at age 16, he received a golf scholarship to the University of Nebraska, where he lettered for four years and obtained his undergraduate degree in accounting in 1940.

He later enlisted in the Army and served for nearly four years with the 69th Division. He was fluent in German and served as an interpreter throughout Germany and his tour of Europe. Upon his discharge from the military, he entered University of Illinois Law School and graduated with honors in 1951.

He set up his law practice in Cairo, and later after his wife Dorothy retired from the bench joined with her in the firm of Spomer and Spomer.

Wally served as attorney for the city of Cairo, as well as the Cairo Regional Airport Authority, and was elected state's attorney of Alexander County in 1972. He retired from the practice of law in 1995. His passion for the law was surpassed only by his love of golf and Nebraska Cornhusker football. In fact, nearly every weekend he could be found either on a golf course or in front of a television rooting for the "Big Red."

He was a member of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, Cairo Elks Lodge 651, Cairo VFW Post 2649, Illinois State Bar Association, and the University of Nebraska "N" Club.

Any donations may be made to Daystar Care Center of Cairo or the Immanuel Lutheran Church of Cairo.

Barkett Funeral Home in Cairo is in charge of arrangements.