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2008 News Articles › Justice John Webb Dies - Service Sunday
Justice John Webb Dies - Service Sunday
Article Date: Friday, September 19, 2008
Written By: Russell Rawlings
Justice John Webb, on the ocassion of the Liberty Garden dedication ceremony, May 11, 2006. |
Justice John Webb, who served on the N.C. Supreme Court from 1986-98, died Thursday evening, Sept. 18, in Wilson on his 82nd birthday.
A memorial service is scheduled Sunday, Sept. 21, at the First Baptist Church in Wilson, preceded by a private family burial and followed by a reception at the church.
Justice Webb began his service on the bench in 1971 as a Superior Court judge and served in that capacity until 1977, at which time he was appointed by Gov. Hunt to the N.C. Court of Appeals.
He served on the Court of Appeals until ascending to the state's highest court in 1986.
Justice Webb also served on the North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors as a vice president in 1990-91. He was honored by family members and colleagues on May 11, 2006, through the dedication of a walkway bench in his name at the N.C. Bar Center.
Dedication of the bench coincided with the formal dedication the NCBA’s Liberty Garden.
Survivors include a son, William Devin Webb II, and nephew, William Webb Plyler, both of whom are members of the bar and the NCBA practicing law in Raleigh.
A complete obituary provided by the family follows.
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John Webb died on Sept. 18, 2008, on his 82nd birthday. Justice Webb was born in Rocky Mount on Sept. 18, 1926, but lived most of his life in Wilson, taking time out for college, law school and military service during World War II.
Though he lived in Wilson, he enjoyed vacationing with his family and extended family in Riverton, N.C.
He was married to Martha Carolyn Harris of Rocky Mount for 49 years until her death in November 2007. He is survived by a daughter, Caroline Smart, and her husband, David, of Littleton, Colo., and their three children, Martha McNeil Smart, Patricia Bartleson Smart and David Wilson Smart; a son, William Devin Webb II of Raleigh; a sister, Flora Plyler, and her husband, B. B. Plyler, of Wilson; a brother, Archibald Johnson Webb, and his wife, Jean, of Indian Harbor Beach, Fla.; a niece, Ella Frantz of Raleigh; and nephews William Webb Plyler of Raleigh and Brent Plyler of Riverton.
Justice Webb attended the public schools in Wilson and played football for Charles L. Coon High School High School under the legendary coach, Leon Brogden.
He volunteered for service in the U.S. Navy during World War II following graduation from high school. After the war, he attended the University of North Carolina under provisions of the G.I. bill and graduated with honors, having been inducted in Phi Beta Kappa.
He graduated from the Columbia University School of Law in 1952 with the LL.B. degree. Upon being licensed to practice in the state of New York, he worked for a time with the firm of Carter, Ledyard and Milburn.
Returning to North Carolina in 1955, he worked for a while with the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill. Soon thereafter he returned to Wilson to practice law with Russell Kirby in which practice they were to be joined by James B. Hunt, Jr.
In 1971 Gov. Robert Scott appointed him as a special Superior Court judge, and he was elected as the regular judge of the Seventh Judicial District in 1974, serving in that position until his appointment by Gov. Hunt to the N.C. Court of Appeals.
In 1986 he was elected to a position on the Supreme Court of North Carolina, serving as an associate justice until his retirement in 1998. Thereafter, he and his son, William Devin Webb II, practiced law in Raleigh and Wilson.
He was an active citizen in the community affairs of Wilson for his entire life. He was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Wilson, having served as deacon with more than 30 years service as Sunday school teacher. For a long term he was a trustee of the Baptist State Convention.
He rendered valued and unique service to the PALS (Positive Action for Lawyers) program of the N.C. State Bar for many years.
While he was a scholar in every sense of the word, with a particular interest in Winston Churchill, it would be remiss not to mention his great interest in high school and college athletics, missing very few Wilson and UNC games (in every sport) over a lifetime.
The memorial service for Justice Webb will be held at First Baptist Church of Wilson on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. The family will greet friends at a reception immediately following this service. Prior to the memorial service, there will be a private family burial.
The family would like to thank the staffs of Britthaven of Wilson and Community Home Care & Hospice of Wilson for their loving care of Justice Webb over the last two years. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to First Baptist Church, PO Box 1467, Wilson, NC 27894-1467, or to Hope Station, 209 Douglas Street, Wilson, NC 27893.
Online condolences to the Webb family may be made by visiting http://www.joyners.net/. Arrangements are by Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road, Wilson.