LOCKE, JAMES “JIM” TORKE Passed away peacefully on March 26, 2026 at the age of 94. He was born on August 19, 1931, the second son of Alice Torke Locke and Ernest Herman Locke. He is preceded in death by his parents and brothers Wayne and John and his sister Vivian Locke Hoapili. He is survived by his beloved wife Susannah (nee Perry) to whom he was married for almost fifty-eight years. He was the loving father of Colleen (Michael Murphy) Locke of Jefferson and Poynette, WI, James P. Locke, M.D., of Houston, TX, Donald E. (Therese Giambona) Locke of (Arlington, VA), and Andrew C. Locke of Glendale and Muskego, WI. He is further survived by his much loved grandchildren Caleb, Micah, and Seth Foust; James Hunter, Sylvan, and Chloe Locke; Sophie Sands; and Zara and Maya Locke; his sister Ruby (Paul Larsen) Rohrer,; his half siblings, Daniel (Cathrine) Locke of West Bend, WI; Patrick (Jane) Locke of Jackson, WI; Kenneth (Grace) Locke of Elm Grove, WI, and Susan Rofritz of Menomonee Falls, WI as well as many other relatives and friends.
Jim was truly a self-made man as, after his parents divorced when he was 13 and his mother couldn’t care for him, he went to live and work on two different farms and attended three different high schools. He returned to Milwaukee when he was sixteen to live with his mother and work at a job in the butcher shop on the floor beneath her apartment. He enrolled in North Division High School from which he graduated in l949. While in high school, he got a job in a leather company that supplied shoe repair shops. He often credited his employment there with teaching him how to run a business, which was good training for his future. After graduation he decided to enroll in Milwaukee State Teacher’s College, but his mother told him that if he did that instead of finding a full-time job, he’d have to make his own way. The Dean of Men at State Teacher’s College in Milwaukee, WI helped him secure a residence, a part-time job in the school cafeteria, and eventually a scholarship given by the Pabst Foundation. After his fourth semester at State Teacher’s, he changed his major from Education to Pre-Foreign Service and transferred to UW-Madison. He graduated with a B.S. degree in June 1953 and enrolled in the UW Law School in the fall.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army on August 23, 1954, and served until May 21, 1956 after having been granted a three-month early release so that he could return to seasonal employment, a job he had with an insulation company where he earned enough money to return to UW Law School in the fall. He graduated in January 1959 and became a member of the State Bar Association.
Shortly after that he ran into John E. Kruschke, a lawyer who was his second cousin, and began working in an office on State Street with his group Kruschke, Evans & Giese, as a solo practitioner. Though it was difficult, he did develop a practice handling civil cases such as divorces, house purchases and sales, helping develop small businesses, and writing wills. Eventually, he bought the building where he’d first plied his trade and practiced law there for well over sixty years. He was still working there with his son, Andrew C. Locke three weeks before his death.
Because Jim worked hard when he was young, he had a strong work ethic and always had an affinity for the working man and woman. He did what he could to help many people along the way by charging them reduced fees and even loaning them money, some of which he never recovered.
Jim was a voracious reader. He read the law carefully, so he was aware of any changes in it. He also read three newspapers most days, several periodicals, and many books. He had a wealth of information about the history and geography of Wisconsin at his fingertips as well as recent business developments and innovations.
Although Jim enjoyed his chosen profession, he was a farmer at heart and loved attending farm auctions and tractor shows, watching the rural television channel, and riding his John Deere lawn tractor when he cut the lawn at his home In addition, he loved raking the beach in front of his house when the water level permitted and made sure no weeds took over the sand.
Jim was also a loving and devoted family man; he enjoyed spending time with his family, which included not only his four children but also his nine grandchildren. He encouraged and supported them in any way he could.
He also loved to travel; he and his wife took many trips. They visited every continent except Australia and numerous countries. They were particularly fond of cruises, both river and ocean, and took more than 35 as of February 2020. After that, they were more content to stay home and enjoy the comfort of armchair travel. The family would like to give special thanks to the medical staff at Froedtert Hospital in Menomonee Falls, WI and The Kathy Hospice in West Bend, WI for their kind and compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, a donation to Fox Point Lutheran Church where Jim was a member or the charity of your choice would be appreciated.
Visitation will be Tuesday April 7, 2026 at Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home in Menomonee Falls from 11am until time of memorial service at NOON.
(Menomonee Ave is under construction and the funeral home main entrance is open for traffic coming westbound from Appleton Ave. but not east bound. There are two other entrances to the Funeral Home. One is on the east side off of Shady Lane and the other is on the southwest side off of Town Hall Rd.)