A New Year's baby is seeking re-election as Ottawa County's probate and juvenile judge. Merrill B. Rudes, who has filled that post since February 1973, was born in Genoa, Jan. 1, 1920, the son of Merrill B. and Della Meyer Rudes. His mother was a native of Clay Center.
Married to the former Mary Carey Leutz, an Oak Harbor school teacher, Judge Rudes is father of four children. He and Mrs. Rudes live on South River Road, Oak Harbor, with their pet cat "Nicki".
Judge and Mrs. Rudes are parents of Ms. Diane Windischman, family abuse coordinator for the prosecuting attorney in Lansing, Mich.; Merrill B Rudes, an electronics engineer in Chicago; Attorney Terrence Rudes, Oak Harbor, assistant Ottawa County prosecuting attorney, and DeIla Rudes, who is assistant administrator of the 500-bed Anderson, S.C. hospital. There are also six grandchildren. children. [sic]
Rudes' family has lived in Ottawa County many years. His grandfather owned and operated a grocery store in Clay Center and his father operated the Ford agency in Genoa for many years.
After graduation from Genoa High School, Judge Rudes attended Ohio State University and won his doctor of jurisprudence degree at the University of Toledo Law School in 1955, the same year he was admitted to the Ohio State Bar.
Before that, Merrill B Rudes owned and operated the Rudes Grocery Story [sic] in Clay Center for 10 years, was co-manager with his brother George of the Nick Stevens Motor Sales in Genoa, and was editor of the Woodville News for a year.
For six years after becoming a lawyer, he was a partner in the law firm of Rosentreter and Rudes in Oak Harbor. Judge Rudes first bore that title after he was elected judge of Port Clinton Municipal Couty and served in that capacity from November 1961 to February 1973.
Elected judge of the Ottawa County probate and juvenile court, he has been on that bench since February 1973. He has received six Ohio Supreme Court awards for superior judicial service during those years and served several years on the executive committee of the Ohio Municipal Judge's
With nearly 17 years of experience as a judge, Rudes seeks re-election on the basis of his lengthy experience, his background and his proven qualifications. Lookwood Zeis is his campaign manager, and Zeis and his committee workers are conducting an active campaign throughout the county for Rudes' re-election.
Rudes served four years in the 90th Infantry Division during World War II, and rose from private to captain. He served 20 months in the European theater, from the Normandy invasion to Czecho-Slovakia. He was recalled from 10 months during the Korean conflict, and served as a troop commander at Camp Atterbury, Ind.
An active member of the Oak Harbor American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts, Rudes has served as past post and county council VFW commander. He also is always on duty to help prepare and serve the Memorial Day breakfasts and the Armistice Day stews at the Legion post.
Source: "Rudes hopes to remain county probate judge," News Herald, 30 October 1978, Front page, whole bottom.
