Obituary

Kansan, Monday, July 14, 1958

Judge John Glenn Somers, 69, Newton resident and former district judge, died at Halstead Hospital Saturday night. He had been in ill health for some time.

Funeral services will be conducted at the Cora Groom Memorial Chapel at Methodist Children's Home 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Rev. John B. Covey, rector of St. Matthews Episcopal Church will conduct the rites. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery.

Judge Somers is survived by his widow, of the home, 1540 N. Main; a daughter, Mrs. George (Dineen) Robb of Newton; a brother, George Hall Somers of Topeka; and a grandson John Somers Robb of Newton. A son John Glenn Somers Jr., was killed in action at San Malo France, Aug. 8, 1944.

He was a member of St. Matthews Episcopal Church; was one of the three organizers and a charter member of the Harvey County American Red Cross chapter in 1917; was a charter member and one of the organizers of Wayne G. Austin post of the American Legion; charter member and past president of the Newton Lions Club; past president and member of the Newton Chamber of Commerce and Country Club; the Newton Masonic Lodge, the Wichita Consistory and midian Shrine; the Sigma Chi Social fraternity and Phi Delta Phi Legal fraternity; and of the University of Kansas Alumni Assn.

He was a member of the American Bar Assn., Kansas Bar Assn. and Harvey County Bar Assn.

Judge Somers was born at Harrisburg, Pa., Feb. 1, 1889, the eldest son of Joseph and Minnie Julia Glenn Somers. He attended public schools in Chicago, Hartland. Wis., Dallas and Newton and was a 1908 graduate of Newton High School. He attended Bethel College, and was graduated from the University of Kansas in 1915.

He was married to Miss Nona Baer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Baer, Newton pioneers, on June 4, 1919.

During World War I he served as first Sergeant with a depot brigade at Camp Funston, later became a captain in the 137th infantry, Kansas National Guard, and was a lieutenant-colonel in the Kansas State Guard from 1942 to 1947.

He was a member of the first war fund drive of the Red Cross here in 1917 and was chapter chairman from 1941 to 1946.

He was post commander of the American legion in 1919, 1920 and 1925. Judge Somers served the on the Legion's department state executive committee from 1919 to 1927, and was chairman of the department's adjusted compensation committee from 1920 to 1922.

He was judge of the ninth judicial district, which then included Harvey, McPherson and Reno counties from 1928 to 1941. He was assistant attorney general of Kansas in 1942, a supreme court commissioner in 1949, was city attorney in 1936 and from 1942 to 1946 and has been special counsel on water problems for Newton since 1950. He was a member of the governor's committee on water legislation in 1944 and is a former chairman of the state civil service board. He served as a visiting lecturer at the University of Kansas law school, and had written books and articles on legal matters.

He was a member of the executive committee of the University of Kansas World War II Memorial.

Judge
Somers was admitted to practice before the U. S. Supreme Court, Kansas Supreme Court, U. S. District court for Kansas, Federal Communication Commission and U. S. Treasury Department.

He was a member of the board and secretary of the Newton Ice Co. and a member of the board of the Railroad Building, Loan and Savings Assn.