Retired Carbon County Judge Richard Webb passed away Saturday.

Webb, 72, became Carbon County’s 15th judge when sworn in on Jan. 6, 1992.In November 2001 he was elected for a second 10-year term.He became president judge on Feb. 18, 2001, when then President Judge John P. Lavelle retired.From 1973 to 1975, he served as a public defender, and in November 1975 he won election to the office of district attorney.During his tenure as district attorney, Webb founded the Carbon County Drug Task Force and received many awards and citations for his tenacious prosecution of drug cases.Webb hired Gary Dobias as a Carbon County assistant district attorney in 1980 and the two worked together in that office for 12 years until Webb became a judge.“He was a great mentor and a great teacher,” said Dobias, who would later go on to become Carbon County district attorney himself. “He would always pursue justice and try to do the right thing even when that was sometimes difficult. Judge Webb cared about people. Numerous times, I saw him comfort victims and the family of victims.”He took early retirement in 2004, but continued to serve Carbon County as a senior judge handling various types of cases.Webb’s “great legal mind” and “ability to take complex situations and reduce them to simple one,” are more attributes that stick out to Dobias.“He was always fair,” Dobias said. “I tried a murder case in front of him maybe 15 years ago involving four men from New York who murdered a drug dealer in Palmerton. I didn’t always agree with his rulings, but later when I looked back on it, I realized he was fair.”Webb was the husband of Janet L. (Comba) Webb.They were married 50 years this past January.A lifetime resident of Palmerton, Webb earned a degree at Pennsylvania State University in 1966, and went on to the University of Pittsburgh Law School where he was awarded a Juris Doctor degree in 1969.Following graduation from law school, Webb worked briefly for Arthur Andersen in Pittsburgh.He then returned to Palmerton, where he practiced law with his father before embarking on his career in public service.Outside of the courtroom, Webb had a great sense of humor, Dobias said.“He was relaxed…a very social person,” he said.Services will be held privately, at the convenience of family.The public is welcome to call 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at T.K. Thomas Funeral Home, 145 Delaware Ave., Palmerton.Contributions can be made to St. John’s Episcopal Church, 365 Lafayette Ave, or Palmerton Memorial Park Assn, 1255 Third St, both in Palmerton.