John Plegge

John Bertran Plegge, age 86, passed away August 5, 2021. Born on May 1, 1935, in Searcy, Arkansas, he was the son of F.C. Plegge and Dorothy Woodson Plegge. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his beloved daughter Susan Lynne Plegge. John is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 67 years, Carolyn Sue Henning Plegge, son John Steven Plegge, brothers Bill Plegge and Frank Plegge, and host of other family and friends.

John was an accomplished attorney and judge. He attended Arkansas Tech and then obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Arkansas Law School. He was a graduate of the National Judicial College and the American Academy of Judicial Education. He served as legislative representative in the Arkansas General Assembly from 1971-1972, and was appointed Municipal Traffic Judge by then Governor Bill Clinton in 1986. He was elected as 6th Judicial District, 7th Division, Circuit Court Judge in 1989, where he served until 2002. From 1992-2000 he was appointed to the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission by the Arkansas Supreme Court. In 2003 he was appointed as Supreme Court presiding Special Judge and also joined the firm of Watts, Donovan, and Tilly, P.A. His professional memberships included the American Board of Trial Advocates, the Pulaski County Bar Association, the Arkansas Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the American Judges Association, and the Arkansas Judicial Council. He received many honors including Man of the Year Award from the Arkansas Municipal Association (for sponsoring legislation promoting cities’ corporate interest), the Pulaski County Bar Association’s Lawyer Citizen Award, and the 1990 Outstanding Trial Judge of the Year (by the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association).

John was a proud member of the American Inns of Court Master of Bench, Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, Masonic Lodge (Scottish Rite 33rd degree), Royal Order of Scotland and Royal order of Jesters, and Scimitar Shrine temple and Court 12.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00pm, on Friday, August 13, 2021 at Pinecrest Funeral Home. Vistation will be at 12:00pm, Friday, August 13, 2021 at Pinecrest Funeral Home In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Easter Seals Arkansas.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.pinecrestfh.com for the Plegge family.