Myron L. Gordon

Myron L. Gordon (February 11, 1918 – November 3, 2009) was an American lawyer and jurist from Kenosha, Wisconsin. He was a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, serving from 1967 until taking senior status in 1983. He previously served five years as a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and was a Wisconsin circuit court judge for seven years in Milwaukee County.

Myron L. Gordon
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
In office February 12, 1983 – November 3, 2009
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
In office March 4, 1967 – February 12, 1983
Appointed by	Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	Seat established by 80 Stat. 75
Succeeded by	Thomas John Curran
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office January 1, 1962 – March 4, 1967
Preceded by	John E. Martin
Succeeded by	Connor Hansen
Judge of the Wisconsin 2nd Circuit, Branch 3
In office January 4, 1955 – January 1, 1962
Preceded by	Elmer W. Roller
Succeeded by	John A. Decker
Personal details
Born	(1918-02-11)February 11, 1918 Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	November 3, 2009(2009-11-03) (aged 91) Palm Desert, California, U.S.
Spouses	Ruth Peggy Siesel ​ ​ (m. 1942; died 1973)​ Myra
Children	3
Education	University of Wisconsin (BA, MA) Harvard University (LLB)
Profession	Lawyer, judge

Education and career

Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Gordon received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1939 and a Master of Arts degree from the same institution in 1939. He received a Bachelor of Laws from Harvard Law School in 1942. He was Lieutenant in the United States Naval Reserve from 1944 to 1946. He was in private practice in Milwaukee from 1945 to 1950. He was a civil court judge in Milwaukee County from 1950 to 1954. He ran unsuccessfully for a Wisconsin circuit court judgeship in 1953, losing to Leo B. Hanley.^[1] He ran again the following year, and this time defeated incumbent judge Elmer W. Roller.^[2] He served a full six-year term as circuit judge and was re-elected in 1960.^[3]

In 1961, he sought election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the seat being vacated by the retirement of chief justice John E. Martin. Gordon survived the nonpartisan primary in March 1961, and went on to face former state attorney general Stewart G. Honeck in the general election. Gordon prevailed with 52% of the vote in the April general election.^[3][4][5]

Federal judicial service

Gordon was nominated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on January 16, 1967, to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, to a new seat created by 80 Stat. 75. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 2, 1967, and received his commission on March 4, 1967. He assumed senior status on February 12, 1983. He served in that status until his death on November 3, 2009, in Palm Desert, California.^[6][7][5]

Personal life and family

Myron Gordon was a son of Jewish immigrants Samuel R. and Janet (née Ruppa) Gordon. His father was born in Poland and his mother was born in Russia.^[8] Myron had one older brother, Norvan, who was a medical doctor in Milwaukee County.^[9]

Myron Gordon married Ruth Peggy Siesel on August 16, 1942.^[10] They had three children together before her death from post-surgical complications in 1973.^[11] Gordon subsequently remarried, and was survived by his second wife, Myra.^[4]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Circuit Court (1953)

Wisconsin Circuit Courts, 2nd Circuit, Branch 1 Election, 1953^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, April 7, 1953
	Nonpartisan	Leo B. Hanley	105,303	51.41%
	Nonpartisan	Myron L. Gordon	99,546	48.59%
Plurality			5,757	2.81%
Total votes			204,849	100.0%

Wisconsin Circuit Court (1954, 1960)

Wisconsin Circuit Courts, 2nd Circuit, Branch 3 Election, 1954^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, April 6, 1954
	Nonpartisan	Myron L. Gordon	98,900	63.91%
	Nonpartisan	Elmer W. Roller (incumbent)	55,837	36.09%
Plurality			43,063	27.83%
Total votes			154,737	100.0%

Wisconsin Circuit Courts, 2nd Circuit, Branch 3 Election, 1960^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, April 5, 1960
	Nonpartisan	Myron L. Gordon	246,695	100.0%
Total votes			246,695	100.0%

Wisconsin Supreme Court (1961)

1961 Wisconsin Supreme Court election^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Nonpartisan Primary, March 7, 1961
	Nonpartisan	Stewart G. Honeck	177,890	51.21%
	Nonpartisan	Myron L. Gordon	145,270	41.82%
	Nonpartisan	Christ Alexopoulos	24,230	6.97%
Total votes			347,390	100.0%
General Election, April 4, 1961
	Nonpartisan	Myron L. Gordon	399,408	52.16%
	Nonpartisan	Stewart G. Honeck	366,390	47.84%
Plurality			33,018	4.31%
Total votes			765,798	100.0%