Joseph Savage Jr., 96

The Honorable Joseph L. Savage Jr., 96, died Thursday, March 27, 2014. 

Mr. Savage was born on May 22, 1917, in Fredericksburg.  

He served as  judge of the General District Court for the City of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County from 1976 through 1987.  

Mr. Savage, son of Joseph Lynn Savage Sr. and Susan Yates Savage,  graduated from Fredericksburg High School in 1935 and the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington in 1939.  

After two years at T.C. Williams School of Law, Mr. Savage earned his law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1942.

During World War II, Mr. Savage served for 3 years as an Army Reserve officer in North Africa and Italy.  Thereafter he spent 17 months on active duty in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps in California.

After World War II, Mr. Savage returned to practice law in Fredericksburg.  He married Marie Radolinski on Aug. 12, 1948, and the couple had four sons, James Lynn Savage, John Radolin Savage, Thomas Yates Savage and Michael Caton Savage.  He was happiest on those occasions when he was surrounded by his family.

Prior to being appointed to the judicial bench, Mr. Savage was active in local, state and national Democratic politics.

In 1958, Mr. Savage was appointed to act as an associate judge in the Fredericksburg region, and became a full-time General District Court judge in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania in 1976.  He retired in 1987. He then acted as substitute judge for many years and volunteered for nine years at Mary Washington Hospital, assisting with the discharge of patients.

He was a former member of the Virginia Reel, the Holy Name Society, American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Elks.

His brother, Francis Yates Savage, predeceased him on Dec. 21, 2005.  He is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Savage Stephens.

He is survived by his wife, Marie R. Savage; James L. and Mary Kay Savage of Dunnsville, John R. and Ann Savage of Savannah, Ga., Thomas Y. and Julia Savage of Goldvein and Michael C. and Kendra Savage of Roanoke; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

He will be missed and fondly remembered by his family and all who knew him.

A funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 31, at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery with a reception following.

Pallbearers are John R. Savage, Thomas Y. Savage, Michael C. Savage, Mason Y. Savage, Nicholas Savage, Brooke Savage, James Withers and Dr. Paul Hanzel.

The family requests no flowers due to the Lenten season. Memorial donations may be made  to VMI Foundation, Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.