Former 3rd District Juvenile Court Judge Christine S. Decker died Tuesday, nearly three years after retiring. She was 68.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune’s past reporting, Decker had been battling cancer.
Decker served as judge from August 2004 to February 2015, and following her retirement remained active in training and advisory roles, according to a news release put out Wednesday by Utah State Court officials.
“Judge Decker cared deeply about the children and families she served,” Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew Durrant said in the news release. “She touched the lives of many, and her influence will be felt for years to come.”
Decker was appointed by then-Gov. Olene Walker. Prior to her judgeship, she attended Georgetown University, where she graduated cum laude in 1971 with a degree in international relations.
She attended the University of Utah for law school and then worked as a deputy district attorney in Salt Lake County. From 1994 to 1997 she worked in private practice, then for the 3rd District Court as an investigator and advisor to the court on what ruling would be in the best interest of the child in cases such as custody battles.
In 2015, Decker won the Christine M. Durham Woman Lawyer of the Year and the Matheson award for outstanding service to the youth of Utah.
She leaves behind her husband, former television news reporter Rod Decker, who retired last year to help care for her.