SUNBURY —
Retired Northumberland County Judge Samuel C. Ranck was remembered by friends and colleagues as an intelligent and patient jurist who was willing to give advice and guidance.
"He was a man of integrity," said Northumberland County Judge Charles H. Saylor, who served as Ranck's first law clerk when he was elected to the bench in 1976. "He was a good mentor and a good friend."
Ranck died Sunday at the age of 82 at Kramm Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Milton, where he'd been a patient for a few weeks.
He had suffered health problems for several years as he battled bone cancer, but remained active in the court system as a senior judge until December 2008 when the state's mandatory retirement rules forced him to step down at the age of 80.
"A waste of talent" is how Sunbury attorney Roger Wiest summed up Ranck's forced retirement.
Ranck was the county's district attorney before being elected to his first of two 10-year terms on the county court of common pleas in 1975. He served as president judge during his second term and continued to preside over criminal cases following his retirement.
In all, he served 33 years as a county judge.
"He was an inspirational figure," Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage said, describing Ranck as having a commanding presence on the bench.
The pair had shared an "unbelievable working relationship," and Sacavage, a Democrat, sought the Republican Ranck's advice as he began his own career as a judge.
"Judge Ranck was always the steady hand. There was no politics, he was always above the fray," Sacavage said.
Sacavage said a memorial service is being planned for next month at the courthouse.
On Monday, county flags were lowered to half-staff.
Chief Clerk Kymberley Best said she also was mourning the passing of the judge who presided over her marriage to local attorney James Best.
"We're deeply saddened," she said. "He was a good friend, a dedicated colleague and a legal advocate."
Although he wasn't allowed to put his talents to work as a judge for the past 1 1/2 years, Ranck enjoyed knowing what was going on and would still visit the courtroom and with friends in the legal profession.
Sacavage said he last saw Ranck about two months at the courthouse, and Saylor had lunch with him at the nursing home about two weeks ago.
"We talked about some of his old cases," said Saylor, who brought the retired judge some court-related news that seemed to please the ailing man.
The news related to the Brentt Sherwood case, involving another appeal by the condemned man who was found guilty of beating his 4-year-old stepdaughter, Marlee Reed, to death in December 2004 and was sentenced three years later to death.
The state Supreme Court had rejected yet another appeal from Sherwood, based partly on a pretrial decision regarding suppression of statements.
"Judge Ranck handled all of the pretrial hearings. I'm sure he felt good knowing that," Saylor said.
n E-mail comments to mmoore@dailyitem.com.
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Judge remembered as 'man of integrity'
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