Joseph Michael Kortenhof

KORTENHOF, Joseph Michael, 84, of Shrewsbury died peacefully at home of lung cancer on November 29, 2011. Survived by his loving wife of 59 years Althea Hunting Kortenhof; sister Carole A. Kortenhof; children Elizabeth “Betsy” (Steve) Kortenhof Kumbalek, Michael (Elizabeth) H. Kortenhof and Amy (Rob Metheny) Kortenhof Bonsall; grandchildren Jessica C. Bonsall, Michael M. Kumbalek, Theodore H. Kortenhof, Katherine E. Kumbalek, Suzannah M. Kortenhof and Joseph W. Kortenhof. Predeceased by parents Joseph Arthur Kortenhof and Marie Probst Kortenhof.

Joe was born August 18, 1927 in Kimberly, Wisconsin. He served in the US Army Air Force and earned degrees from Lawrence College of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan Law School. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the Michigan Law Review. He began work as a trial lawyer in St. Louis in 1953. He established his first firm, Murphy & Kortenhof, in 1960, which later became Kortenhof & Ely. In recent years he was a partner at the Kortenhof McGlynn law firm. He specialized in insurance and products liability defense and malpractice defense for doctors, hospitals and lawyers. He served as an adjunct professor teaching trial practice at Washington University School of Law.

He received the Missouri Bar Foundation’s Lon O. Hocker Trial Lawyer Award, the Lawyers Association of St. Louis Award of Honor, and the Ben Ely, Jr. Outstanding Missouri Civil Defense Lawyer Award. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, and an Advocate in the American Board of Advocates. He was listed in “The Best Lawyers in America”, “Who’s Who in American Law” and “Who’s Who in America”.

He also served as trustee of Lawrence University and received the Jupp Award for outstanding service to Lawrence. He was a long time member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Webster Groves.

Joe loved sailing, woodworking and gardening.

SERVICES: A memorial service and reception will be held on December 22, 2011 at 3:00 pm at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Donations in memory of Joe may be made to the Emmanuel Church Foundation, 9 South Bompart, Webster Groves, MO 63119 or Lawrence University, 711 E. Boldt Way SPC 1847, Appleton, WI 54911-5699.