Richard W. Wahl, 89, of Salina, Kan., died May 21, 2012, at Salina Regional Health Center. He was born in Saxman, Kan., on Jan. 26, 1923, the youngest of eight surviving children of August and Olga Wahl, German immigrants from the area on the Baltic Coast then known as East Prussia. He attended public schools in Saxman and Lyons, Kan., graduating from Lyons High School in 1940. He briefly attended the University of Kansas before enlisting in the United States Army in 1943, serving in medical units in Ireland, England, and France during World War II and in Germany immediately following the War. He was discharged in 1946 and returned to the University of Kansas, graduating in 1949 with a degree in business and in 1951 from the University of Kansas School of Law. After graduation, he moved to Lincoln, Kan., and established a solo law practice that he maintained until 1975 when he was appointed Chief Judge of the 12th Judicial District of Kansas. He retired in 1989 but continued to sit by appointment. He was later appointed a Senior Judge on the Kansas Court of Appeals and served until a few years before his death.
In 1954, Richard married Harriet McGuire, originally of Decatur, Ga., and they raised three sons in Lincoln. In 1981, he and Harriet moved to Concordia, Kan., where they lived until Harriet died in 2004. He moved to Lawrence, Kan., in 2005 and to Salina in 2011. He was predeceased by his wife, parents, and siblings. He is survived by his son, Phillip and his wife, Leslie and their daughters Natalie and Georgia; and by sons Douglas and Donald; his partner, Sean O’Hogan and children Axel, Cris and Seni. Richard lived honorably, unselfishly and with humor, consistently doing the right things for the right reasons. He was among the very best of us. There will be a memorial service at 11 a.m., Saturday, June 16, 2012, at the Lincoln United Methodist Church, Lincoln, Kan., with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Concordia or Camp Concordia POW Camp, in care of Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home, 500 S. Ohio, Salina, KS 67401.

Family links:
Parents:
August Wahl (____ – 1932)
Olga Bertha Ruckmann Wahl (____ – 1958)

Spouse:
Harriet Ann McGuire Wahl (1923 – 2004)*

Children:
Douglas W. Wahl (1957 – 2013)*

Siblings:
August Wahl (1902 – 1996)*
Amelia A Wahl (1917 – 2009)*
Richard W Wahl (1923 – 2012)

*Calculated relationship