Arno H . Denecke Arno H . Denecke ( May 7 , 1916 – October 20 , 1993 ) was an American jurist born in Illinois . He served on the Oregon Supreme Court from 1963 to 1982 , and as the 37th Chief Justice of the court from 1976 until leaving the bench . The World War II veteran retired from the United States Army at the rank of colonel in 1974 . Early life . Denecke was born May 7 , 1916 , in Rock Island , Illinois . This small city lies on the border of Iowa . In 1939 , he graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law with his law degree . He then went to work with Chicago based Montgomery Wards from 1939 to 1941 in both Chicago and Oakland , California . Then with the outbreak of World War II , Denecke joined the Army and served with the 70th Infantry Division from 1941 to 1945 . After the war he served in the Army Reserve . He retired as a colonel after 28 years in 1974 . Legal career . After the war , Denecke moved to Portland , Oregon and joined the firm of Mautz , Souther , Spaulding , Denecke & Kinsey in 1947 . The firm is now known as Schwabe , Williamson , Wyatt . While in private practice Denecke argued in front of the U . S . Supreme Court as attorney for Ross Island Sand & Gravel in a worker ’ s compensation case , " Hahn v . Ross Island Sand & Gravel Co . " , 358 U . S . 272 ( 1959 ) . During this time he served as a member of the Portland School Board in the 1950s . Denecke left the firm in 1959 when he was appointed as circuit court judge for Multnomah County by Governor Mark Hatfield . In 1983 he was a member of the American Bar Association Commission on Evaluation of Professional Standards that drafted the Model Rules of Professional Conduct . As an educator Arno Denecke taught at the University of Oregon School of Law , Northwestern School of Law , Army Judge Advocate General School , and Willamette University . In 1993 , he was awarded the Oregon State Bar Association ' s Award of Merit . Additionally , Denecke was a trustee for both the Oregon Graduate Center ( now part of OHSU ) and Reed College in Portland . He also served as chairperson for the YMCA Youth & Government program , and served as an overseer to Lewis & Clark College . Judicial career . In 1962 , Arno Denecke was elected to the Oregon Supreme Court . He then served starting in 1963 until he resign from the bench on June 30 , 1982 . He was re - elected in 1968 , 1974 , and 1980 . Denecke was selected as chief justice in 1976 , and served in that capacity until he resigned in 1982 . While on the bench he wrote many opinions including " Seattle - First National Bank v . Oregon Pacific Industries " , 262 Or . 578 , 500 P . 2d 1033 ( 1972 ) and " Gustafson v . Payless " , 269 Or . 354 , 525 P . 2d 118 ( 1974 ) . As chief justice he was involved with reforms of the court that centralized many administrative tasks under that position . Later years and family . After leaving the court he was an advocate for school reforms and led an investigation of Oregon ' s State Accident Insurance Fund . Denecke was married to Marguerite L . Gahr , with Virginia , Anne , David , John , and Will as children . He had two stepchildren , Michael Potter and Shirley Potter . Arno Denecke died on October 20 , 1993 in Salem , Oregon , at the age of 77 . The Marion County Bar Association gives the Arno Denecke Award annually to attorneys for pro bono work .