District Judge Carl Pendergrass passes

Del Rio News-Herald

Longtime judge and former county attorney Carl Pendergrass died Sunday after battling cancer. He was 69. Pendergrass, who was appointed 83rd Judicial District Judge on Oct. 29, 1999, by then governor George W. Bush, spent much of his time in Del Rio dedicated to the community

through various charitable organizations.

He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1969 from South Texas College of Law, moving to Del Rio in 1970, where he worked for several years as a private practice attorney. He was also elected county attorney and served from 1971 to 1978 in that role.

Pendergrass served as the 83rd Judicial District Judge from 1999 until his passing.

During his reelection campaign in 2002, Pendergrass said he loved the job, and looked forward to serving as long as he could.

“It’s not without it’s problems, of course, no job is. But I recall a training session I went to where a judge told us, ‘It’s the best job you’ll ever have.’

And I have to say I agree. On the weekends, sometimes I can’t wait for Monday morning,”

Pendergrass said. That love for the bench was shared with others, according to those who worked closely with him.

When Enrique “Henry” Fernandez was elected 63rd Judicial District Judge in 2008, Pendergrass was right there to help him learn the ropes.

“I tell you, when I first came in there were a lot of things I had to learn and Judge Pendergrass

was so eager to offer everything he could to me … he made it possible for me,” Fernandez said this morning. “He offered me assistance, advice and as a brand new judge he listened to me. We became

great friends right away and I was really affected when I learned of his passing. We really lost a great man.” The family will be receiving friends from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at G.W. Cox Memorial Funeral Home, 114 Fletcher Drive. His funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Presbyterian Church, 220 Spring St.

Reprinted by permission of Del Rio News-Herald.