Judge Peter Lawrence Statler, a sixth-generation Missourian, was born in Jackson to Judge William Osler Statler and Erma Statler. Pete was a Boy Scout, and during the summers, he worked as a lifeguard at the Jackson city swimming pool. He graduated in 1960 from Jackson High School, where he lettered in football, played the saxophone and was elected student-body president.

Pete pursued an accelerated course of undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri in Columbia, leading to law school, where he obtained a Juris Doctor in 1966.

Upon graduating, he enlisted in the United States Navy, attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, and was stationed on the USS Coral Sea, fulfilling combat missions during the Vietnam War from 1966 until 1969. He was honorably discharged as a lieutenant junior grade. In 1969, Pete returned to Jackson, where he practiced law with Paul A. Mueller Jr., forming Mueller and Statler Attorneys at Law.

While still a law student, Pete met Judy Hellwig of Chesterfield, Missouri, whom he married in 1967. The couple was blessed with three sons, Matthew, Travis and Daniel. The family attended St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson, where Pete served as a member of the Board of Elders.

In 1989, Pete was appointed to serve as municipal judge of the city of Jackson. In 1994, he was elected associate circuit judge of the 32nd Judicial Circuit of Missouri, Division IV, and in this capacity, he presided over a wide variety of civil and criminal cases.

He was also the founding judge of the drug courts in the 32nd Circuit, initiating a program that has grown to include juvenile and family drug courts and adult criminal drug courts in Jackson and in Perryville, Missouri. Pete ran unopposed in three subsequent elections and served four terms as associate circuit judge.

Following retirement from the state bench in 2010, Pete returned to private law practice with his sons, Daniel Statler and Travis Statler, at the Statler Law Firm L.C. in Cape Girardeau. He also resumed his service to the city of Jackson as its municipal judge, a position he held until his death. 2016 marked 80 continuous years of Statler family lawyers graduating from The University of Missouri School of Law and practicing law in Cape Girardeau County, a tradition that began with Pete’s father in 1936 and continues to the present with his sons.

Pete was recognized as a licensed attorney in the state of Missouri for 50 years. He received the Warren Welliver Award from the Missouri Lawyers Assistance Program in 2001 and 2007, recognizing his compassion and concern for impaired lawyers. He received the Respect for Law Award from Cape Girardeau Evening Optimist Club in 2005 and again in 2010. He received a certificate of appreciation from the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) project of Cape Girardeau County, recognizing his compassion and concern for abused children, in 2010. The Missouri Senate and the Missouri House of Representatives both passed special resolutions in 2010 recognizing his accomplishments.

Pete was a Rotarian with the Jackson Rotary Club. He loved sports and held season tickets to the St. Louis Cardinals baseball and football teams. He loved vacationing with his family in St. George Island, Florida. Above all, he loved sitting around “swappin’ lies and swattin’ flies” with family and friends.

He passed away Dec. 10, 2016, in his home, surrounded by his loving family. Survivors include wife Judy; brother William (Carolyn); sons Matthew (Roxanna), Travis (Tania) and Daniel (Katie); and grandchildren Roya, Cyrus, Preston, Cosette and William.

Visitation will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home, 1001 North Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau.

Funeral services will take place at 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home, followed by burial in Cape County Memorial Park.

Memorial gifts may be made by check payable to the Cape Girardeau County Drug Court Participant Fund and mailed to Drug Court Administrator, 100 Court Street, Suite 103, Jackson, MO 63755.