Harold Fuhrman

On January 7, 2019, surrounded by his loving family, Harold H. Fuhrman passed away at Attic Angel Place Health Center in Middleton, Wisconsin. He was born on December 10, 1923, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the son of Otto and Della Fuhrman.

Harold was loved and admired by all who knew him for his intellect, sense of humor, and devotion to his family. An avid reader and history buff, he was well known for his encyclopedic memory. He enjoyed traveling, swimming, and spending time with his family and friends at the Milwaukee Athletic Club. He will always be remembered for his positive outlook on life and belief that "nothing ventured, nothing gained."

In 1944, Harold earned a B.A. in History from Indiana University-Bloomington. In 1947, he earned his law degree from Marquette University Law School and was admitted to practice in Wisconsin. After graduating, he practiced briefly with the law firm of Zabel, Wolf and Zabel, in Milwaukee. In 1948, he received his commission as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve in the Judge Advocate General's Corps and was called to active duty at the Fifth Army Headquarters in Chicago. After his tour of duty, he returned to Milwaukee, where he resumed the practice of law and co-founded the law firm of Wickert & Fuhrman. In the 1980s, he formed the firm of Harold H. Fuhrman & Associates in downtown Milwaukee and retired from there in 1998, having practiced for over 50 years.

Harold was passionate about the law. Throughout his legal career, he focused on municipal law, complex litigation, and banking. In 1955, he organized the government of the Village of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, and served as Village Attorney from 1955 until 1997. He organized and co-founded the Brown Deer Bank for which he served as Counsel and Chair of the Board of Directors from 1959-1994. He organized the First National Bank of Cudahy for which he served as Director and Counsel from 1963-1994. He organized the International General Insurance Corporation for which he served as President from 1962-1964. He also served as special counsel to the City of Brookfield for many years. Throughout his career, Harold was involved in many significant legal battles, including the utility wars in the 1950-60s, bringing service to the Milwaukee suburbs; fighting cable monopolies; and challenging radium water standards throughout Wisconsin. He successfully argued many cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court, including a significant First Amendment case, Frisby v. Schultz.

In 1963, Harold married Janet Hebein and settled down to raise a family in Brown Deer. He is survived by Janet and his children, Ann C. Fuhrman, Mark H.T. Fuhrman, and Carol C. Shobrook. He is also survived by his daughter-in-law, Amy B.F. Tutwiler, his son-in-law, David M. Shobrook, and his loving grandchildren, Genevieve M. Fuhrman, Nicholas H. Fuhrman, and Jonathan A. Shobrook.

A visitation will be held at Wisconsin Memorial Park at 13235 W. Capitol Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 on Friday, January 25, 2019 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. A funeral service will be held the next day, Saturday, January 26, also at Wisconsin Memorial Park from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

(For those friends at Attic Angels, a separate memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Garden Room at Attic Angel's located 8301 Old Sauk Road, Middleton, WI 53562.)