Retired General Sessions Court Judge Starlan Richard Holcomb Jr. died Sunday at a local hospital at age 76.
In addition to his years on the bench, he also served in the state Legislature from 1967-1973. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
He was born in Chattanooga Oct. 30, 1935, the son of Starlan Richard and Irene Lingerfelt Holcomb.
He graduated from Chattanooga High School and the University of Chattanooga, then he gained his law degree at the University of Cincinnati.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1954-1956 and was in the Naval Reserve until 1968.
He was admitted to practice law in 1962. He was elected judge for the city of East Ridge in 1968 and served to 1969. He was elected as a General Sessions Court judge in 1982.
Judge Holcomb served as judge of the Tennessee Court of the Judiciary beginning in 1988.
He retired from the bench in 1996 and Christie Sell was elected as his replacement.
An avid boater and fisherman, he became a member of the board of directors of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority in 1988.
He was a member of the VFW, the American Legion, the Elks and Grace Episcopal Church.
His home was in Harrison, but he and his wife, Karen, lived mainly in Florida since his retirement.
He is also survived by a daughter, Lora Lee Finley, and son, Starlan Richard "Rick" Holcomb III.
Funeral arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Road.