Judge Ed Wade succumbs to cancer

Cleveland Municipal Judge Ed Wade has died. He was 69. Judge Wade succumbed to prostate cancer and passed while in Hospice care early Monday morning. He was recently reelected to serve as judge defeated Pauline Tarver.

Wade served as an outstanding attorney prior to being named a judge. He seat will be filled by Gov. John Kasich. Whomever is appointted will serve the remainder of his term until November 2017 at that point an election for his seat will be held.

“We send his family our thoughts and prayers and will begin working with the local level to appointment a suitable successor,” statement from Governor John Kasich’s office.

“I have to run for Tarver's seat because I wouldn't be able to run for re-election in 2017 because of Ohio law that prohibits candidates from running for re-election, because at that point I will be 70,” Wade told the Call & Post during his final campaign.

“I am really going to miss my friend, I have known him since 1963 when we were in the 10th grade. He was a man for the people, he understood the people and knew what the people wanted. He practiced law long before he became a judge and was well rounded with an excellent temperament,” said longtime friend Attorney James L. Hardiman.

While dealing with his illness 12 judges has been splitting Wade's docket while he was in the hospital. They will continue to do so until Kasich appoints the new judge.

“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 Cleveland Municipal Court Administrative Judge Ron Adrine in a statement.

Wade was a City Prosecutor and practice criminal defense lawyer in the City of Cleveland, Judge Wade handled noteworthy cases in Cleveland and around the country. Since he can speak and write Spanish, he was able to argue 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.

If you were in the company of Judge Wade many times he would start speaking in Spanish to his friends who could understand him, along with making people laugh. He often shared his goals with Call & Post.

His bio states he was 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.

He earned an associate’s degree from Cuyahoga County Community College, a bachelor's degree from the University of Dayton and graduated from Howard University School of Law in Washington D.C.

“Ed Wade was my friend and he will be missed, there will never be another like Ed. When I think of all the fun times we had together and even had a chance to open a law firm together. One thing for sure now, he is not in any more pain,” said Hardiman.

At press time no arrangements have been made.