Since 1924, only five individuals have sat on the bench of Cass County’s highest court.

Serving the longest out of all those distinguished judges is Edwardsburg’s Michael Dodge, who, for the past 34 years, has become renowned and respected for his intellect, judgment and demeanor, said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz.

Speaking to a group of his fellow Rotarians inside the Dowagiac Elks Lodge Thursday afternoon, Fitz — as he has done quite frequently during his appearances in front of the judge in the courtroom — quoted a passage from the Bible during his remarks about the Circuit Court Judge. Delivering an excerpt from Proverbs 15:35, Fitz said, “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility goeth before honor.”

“If there is one judge I know who has been humble in all that he has done, it has been Judge Dodge,” he added.

In spite of the blowing snow and frigid temperatures outside, sprits were high inside the room as the Dowagiac Rotary club honored Dodge, who will retire at the end of the year after serving the people of Cass County for more than four decades.

The service club members presented Dodge with its “Red Rose Citation,” an award the Dowagiac club created nearly a century ago to honor figureheads of the community.

Dodge, a native of Royal Oak, Michigan, has been a fixture of the Cass County legal world since he began practicing law at the firm of O’Connor and Feldman in Cassopolis in 1971. Just a year later, he became the county’s first full time prosecutor.

In 1976, Dodge switched paths again, running for and winning the position of Cass County Probate Judge in 1976. In 1982, Dodge was nominated by Gov. William Milliken to succeed retiring Circuit Court Judge James Hoff — a position Dodge has had ever since.

Due to Michigan laws preventing judges from seeking re-election past the age of 70, the 71-year-old Edwardsburg man is retiring at the end of his term this month, where he will be succeeded by Niles attorney and Dowagiac Rotarian Mark Herman, who was elected in November.

Herman also honored Dodge — who he once served under as a law clerk — Thursday, telling his fellow club members that Dodge always treated him and other attorneys with respect, making him feel like he was worthy.

“I want to truly thank you,” Herman said to Dodge Thursday. “You made me the person I am today, in the profession.”

Dodge — who is planning to move to South Carolina with his wife, Beth, after his retirement — choked up as he thanked the Rotarians for the distinction.

“This county has been so good to me, and has given me a tremendous amount of opportunities that I probably would not have gotten anywhere else,” Dodge said. “I just want to let you know I really appreciate that.”

While he said he would miss all the friends and colleagues he has made over the past 45 years, trudging through the cold and snow that hit the region Thursday caused him to reconsider whether or not he will miss Michigan’s winters once he and Beth move south.

“The decision to move to South Carolina looks better and better every day,” he joked. “It may have been one of the best judicial decisions I have ever made.”