Former 12th Judicial District Chief Judge Tom Tuggle Passes Away at 81

Retired Chief Judge of the 12th Judicial District, Tom Tuggle of Concordia, died Friday, December 29th.  He was 81.

Tom graduated from Cimmaron High School in 1960 and attended Kansas State University where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and graduated from the Business School with a degree in accounting in 1964.  He attended Law School at the University of Kansas.  While at KU he served as editor of the Law Review and graduated with a law degree in 1967.

Tom worked in the Arizona Attorney General ‘s office where he was mentored by Sandra Day O’Connor, who later went on to be the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

In 1971, Tom and his family moved to Concordia where he began his practice of law.  In 1989, he was appointed Chief Judge of the 12th Judicial District, which serves six counties in North Central Kansas.  During his tenure as Chief Judge, Tom also served as the President of the Kansas Judges Association.  He retired in 2006.

United States Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas released a statement on Tuesday, January 2nd, which reads:

"Judge Tuggle loved his community and was passionate about helping people.  He always conducted himself with dignity and diligently served the people of Kansas as a judge for 17 years, administering justice and making Kansas a better place.  I always appreciated Judge Tuggle’s insight into the challenges facing Kansas and will miss our many conversations.  Robba and I are praying for his wife Suzy and their daughters as they mourn their beloved husband and father.”

Tom is survived by his wife Suzy, daughters, Ashlea Tuggle Clark (Marc) and Courtney Tuggle, and two granddaughters Laurel and Addison Clark, all of Oceanside, California.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm, Friday, January 5th at the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home in Concordia.

For people wishing to make a memorial gift please consider supporting: The Community Foundation for Cloud County or the Cloud County Community College Foundation.