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William Nealon, longest-serving US judge in history

SCRANTON — The longest-serving U.S. district judge in the nation’s history has died.

Judge William Nealon of Scranton, Pennsylvania, died Thursday. He was 95.

President John F. Kennedy appointed Nealon to the federal bench in 1962. The federal courthouse where he worked was renamed for him more than 20 years ago.

On Tuesday, Nealon be­came the longest-serving U.S. district judge in the 229-year history of the federal judiciary, surpassing a judge who served in the 19th century, according to a report in The Times-Tribune of Scranton. He had intended to retire at the end of September.

Nealon served in the Marine Corps during WWII.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, five children and dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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