Judge Richard Holcomb
Retired General Sessions Court Judge S. Richard Holcomb died on April 22, 2012.
He was born in Chattanooga on October 30, 1935, to the late Starlan R. Holcomb and Irene Lingerfelt Holcomb. He attended Chattanooga Public Schools, graduating from Chattanooga High School in the class of 1953.
He was a 1959 graduate of the University of Chattanooga where he was senior class president, Who's Who in American Colleges, editor of the University Echo, president of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and winner of the Alumni Achievement Award, given to the outstanding member of the graduating class, as chosen by the faculty.
Judge Holcomb attended the University of Cincinnati Law School on a scholarship, graduating with Order of the Coif honors in 1962.
Upon graduation, he returned to Chattanooga and entered the practice of law. He began a long career of public service with his election to the Tennessee Legislature in 1966, serving three terms, including one term as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
After voluntarily leaving the Legislature, Judge Holcomb was elected by members of the Legislature to the State Election Commission where he served from 1973 to 1982. Judge Holcomb was first elected General Sessions Judge in 1982 and served 24 years until his retirement. He always maintained he would rather be a Sessions Court Judge than a Supreme Court Justice because Sessions Court was where the ordinary citizens most often came in contact with the court system.
During his first term Chief Justice Bob Cooper appointed Judge Holcomb to the Court of the Judiciary where he served for eight years. Both Governor McWherter and Governor Bredesen selected Judge Holcomb to serve a total of 12 years on the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway Authority.
He was an avid boater and former Commodore of the Loret Boat Club. He was a United States Navy veteran and life member of VFW Post 1289 and American Legion post 95. He was of the Christian faith.
Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Karen Petty Holcomb;daughter, Lora Holcomb Finley (Jim); son, Starlan Richard (Rick) Holcomb III; two grandchildren, Morgan and Ethan Finley; brother, Kenneth Holcomb; and niece, Sherry Holcomb Shelton (Kenneth) and Stephanie Shelton.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 26, at Heritage Funeral Home Chapel, with the Honorable Clarence Shattuck presiding. Interment will follow at Chattanooga National Cemetery with full military honors.
Honorary pallbearers will be current and retired members of the local judiciary.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.
The family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25, at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421.