(Cleveland, Ohio) — Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Ed Wade died today at the Hospice of the Western Reserve, following complications due to prostate cancer.  He was 69.

Judge Wade was elected to the Cleveland Municipal Court in November of 2013 and was in charge of the Court’s Mental Health Docket.

“Judge Wade was a tremendous asset to this bench and to this community.  He brought a competence, a temperament and a humor that will be sorely missed and impossible to replace.  His colleagues and co-workers already miss him deeply,” said The Honorable Ronald B. Adrine, the Court’s Administrative and Presiding Judge.  

A lifelong resident of Cleveland, Judge Wade was a product of the Cleveland Public School system.  After graduating from Glenville High School, he joined the military and was deployed to Vietnam, later earning several distinctions, including the Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Working as a City Prosecutor and as very well-respected criminal defense lawyer in private practice in the City of Cleveland for four decades, Judge Wade handled noteworthy cases in Cleveland and around the country.  Since he was able to speak and write Spanish, he argued cases that took him all the way to Puerto Rico and Spain.  To further enhance his litigation skills, he completed both the basic and advanced courses given by the National Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

There will be a public viewing for Judge Wade this Friday, Oct 7 from 2:00 to 6:00pm  at the Calhoun Funeral Home, 17010 Lakeshore Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44110. The service will be held at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Oakwood  Saturday, Oct 8 at 10:30 located at 1 Mt. Zion Circle, off of Broadway.