Past State Bar of Wisconsin President Ralph Milton Cagle passed away Friday

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Past State Bar of Wisconsin President Ralph Milton Cagle, Jr.  passed away on Friday, December 1, 2023 at age 78, according to Gunderson Funeral Home.

According to the State Bar of Wisconsin, Cagle served as a government lawyer, a private practitioner, and law professor at the University of Wisconsin.

He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School 1974 (Order of the Coif) and was Peer Review Rated as AV® preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell (since 1983).

Cagle practiced as a civil trial attorney from 1974 to 1990 and was of counsel to Hurley, Burish & Stanton, S.C. He defended lawyers in malpractice and disciplinary cases.

Serving on the Supreme Court and State Bar committees and commissions including chair of the Continuing Legal Education, Professionalism and Office of Lawyer Regulation Review Committees, and as vice-chair of the Board of Bar Examiners; and as member of Supreme Court Commission to Review the Rules of Professional Conduct Cagle was a very active member of the Wisconsin legal community.

Cagle also taught more than 250 CLE programs about professional responsibilities and ethics, negotiation and mediation, legal communications and professionalism.

He was also involved in volunteer work with Agrace Hospice and Palliative Care, Foundation Board, Combat Blindness International Board, and a Mediator, Dane County Case Mediation Program.

Cagle also served as past president for the Madison Public Library Board, Caucus Staff Director, Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly and Assistant to Assembly Speaker Norman Anderson, and as a legislative lobbyist for professional groups (architects, professional engineers, Certified Public Accountants, bankers, social workers, psychologists and farmers).  Additionally, he served on the Racine County Board of Supervisors (1975-6).

He is survived by his wife, Tonia Neustifter; daughters, Kristin (Jeff Holloway) Butor and Elizabeth (Jeremy) Schlitz; and sons, Nicholas (Kinsey Brock) Cagle and Benjamin (Summer Ohlendorf) Cagle; and grandchildren, Alia and Evan Butor, Gwendolyn and Bowie Schlitz, and Chase Cagledorf. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Concetta (Gentile) Cagle, according to Gunderson.

“A celebration of life will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 10, 2023. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 9, 2023, and from 1 p.m. until the time of the service on Sunday,” according to the funeral home website.