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Obituaries

Frank Neuhauser | Spelling-bee winner, 97

Frank Neuhauser, 97, who in 1925 won the first national spelling bee with the word gladiolus , and went on to become a patent lawyer, died March 11 at his home in Silver Spring, Md.

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Frank Neuhauser, 97, who in 1925 won the first national spelling bee with the word

gladiolus

, and went on to become a patent lawyer, died March 11 at his home in Silver Spring, Md.

He was 11 years old when he won the championship. His prizes included $500 in gold and a trip to the White House to meet President Calvin Coolidge.

Mr. Neuhauser said he prepared for the contest by copying words from a dictionary into a blank book and having his father quiz him each night.

After winning, he returned home to a parade and crowds with bouquets of gladioluses.

The contest, now called the Scripps National Spelling Bee, has become quite popular and portions of it are televised. Last year, 274 finalists competed.

Mr. Neuhauser appeared in the 2002 documentary Spellbound.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Mr. Neuhauser earned an electrical-engineering degree in 1934 and a law degree from George Washington University in 1940. He worked as a patent lawyer for General Electric and later for a law firm. He retired in 1988.

Even into his 90s, Mr. Neuhauser enjoyed working in his garden, and was especially fond of raising gladioluses.

- AP

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