HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. — Former state senator and Circuit Judge John Yoder died Friday. The state Supreme Court confirmed his passing in a statement late Friday. Yoder reportedly died of complications stemming from a recent heart surgery.
The Kansas native lived in Harpers Ferry and was serving as the 23rd Judiciay Circuit Judge serving Jefferson, Morgan, and Berkeley Counties. He formerly served two separate terms in the Senate in 1992 and 2004. He left the Senate to run for the circuit judge position in 2008 and also ran unsuccesfully three times for State Supreme Court and once for U.S. Senate in 1990.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Allen Loughry offered condolences in the court’s statement.
“He was a dedicated public servant who cared about our state,” Loughry said in the release. “I was fortunate to get to know Judge Yoder well during the 2012 campaign. He will be missed.”