FORMER 21ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGE JOHN ‘JACK’ PLACKE PASSES AWAY

  

A longtime district court judge for Washington and area counties has died.

John Lehmann “Jack” Placke passed away last Tuesday at the age of 88.

Placke was appointed in 1975 as the 21^st Judicial District Judge for Washington, Bastrop, Burleson and Lee counties.  He served until his retirement in 2000, being re-elected without opposition for six consecutive four-year terms.  He served as a Senior District Judge for several years afterward.

Placke’s legal career also included time as a briefing attorney at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, a prosecutor for the Travis County Attorney and District Attorney’s offices, Lee County Justice of the Peace and 21^st Judicial District Attorney.

Placke attended Giddings public schools and as a junior was the quarterback for the Giddings High School state championship football team in 1951.  He earned a football scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education and Social Studies.  He taught and coached at the Travis State School while attending UT law school.  He also served in active duty with the U.S. Army and then as a member of the Texas Army National Guard until his honorable discharge in 1966.

Placke also was involved in public service as a member of the Giddings Volunteer Fire Department, Lee County Bar Association, Giddings Chamber of Commerce, Giddings Lions Club, Citizens State Bank Board of Directors, and Board of Education at Immanuel Lutheran School.

Visitation is today (Monday) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and tomorrow (Tuesday) from 7 a.m. to noon at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Giddings.  Funeral services will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, with burial following in the Giddings City Cemetery.