Funeral services have been announced for Judge Walter S. Binns, a longtime San Pedro resident and community activist, who died Monday night in Colorado while on a fishing trip. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boys' Club of San Pedro.
Judge Binns had gone to a favorite mountain retreat in Lake City, Colorado, for a fishing outing with his wife, Peggy, and two sons. Late Monday, after spending the day fishing, he complained of shortness of breath and was driven by his son to a first aid station in the small gold mining community. They were advised to drive 58 miles to a hospital in Gunnison. Judge Binns died before reaching the hospital.
Born in Reno, Nevada, on July 31, 1914, Judge Binns was brought to San Pedro at the age of 9. He attended Leland Street Elementary School where he met his future wife, the former Peggy McSweeney, the daughter of an Irish immigrant working on the docks.
He graduated from San Pedro High School in 1931 and went on to college and law school at Loyola University. He had received a four-year debating scholarship, but also worked at Bethleham Steel's shipyard in San Pedro during the summer months. To earn his tuition for law school, he worked nights making tires at the Firestone plant in Los Angeles.
After passing the state bar examination in 1939, he entered private law practice. He and the former Miss McSweeney were married that year. They eventually had seven children.
In 1941, he joined the staff of the federal anti-trust division in Los Angeles. After the United States entered the war, he was selected to serve on the staff of a war frauds division.
In 1943, he transferred to the U.s. Attorney's office in Los Angeles.
In 1944, he enlisted in the Army, serving in the quartermaster corps.
After his discharge, he returned to the U.S. Attorney's office for two years followed by a return to private practice.
Judge Binns returned to federal service in 1949 as chief assistant and then became the U.S. Attorney for Southern California in 1951. At 37, he was one of the youngest prosecutors in the history of the local office. He broke a $1 million bookmaking syndicate during his time in that position. A Democrat, he resigned his post and returned to private practice when Eisenhower was elected president.
He was named to the Municipal Court bench in 1961 by Gov. Edmund G. "Pat" Brown. He was 47 at the time.
Only one of the Binns' children, Peggy, is left at home. Walter Scott, the oldest, lives in Quartz Hills near Lancaster. Evelyn lives in San Pedro as does her sister, Alana Maury, an investigator for the District Attorney. William is working for the State Department in Cairo, Egypt. George is an engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad in Topeka, Kansas. James, an Air Force captain, lives in Redlands. Judge Binns is also survived by 14 grandchildren.
Judge Binns served for years on the Board of Directors of the Boys' Club of San Pedro and was one of the only community activities in which he continued to participate. After the club built a new complex in the 1960's, he headed a committee to pay off the mortgage. In recent months he had devoted a great deal of time and energy preparing lease papers that would give the club an annual income from the Safeway stores.
Judge Binns had two lifetime hobbies - working with wood and collecting stamps. He was a member of he Knights of Columbus, San Pedro Elks Lodge 966, the San Pedro Civitan Club,and the American Legion.
Condensed from an article published in the San Pedro News Pilot, Wednesday, July 2, 1980.
Judge Binns had gone to a favorite mountain retreat in Lake City, Colorado, for a fishing outing with his wife, Peggy, and two sons. Late Monday, after spending the day fishing, he complained of shortness of breath and was driven by his son to a first aid station in the small gold mining community. They were advised to drive 58 miles to a hospital in Gunnison. Judge Binns died before reaching the hospital.
Born in Reno, Nevada, on July 31, 1914, Judge Binns was brought to San Pedro at the age of 9. He attended Leland Street Elementary School where he met his future wife, the former Peggy McSweeney, the daughter of an Irish immigrant working on the docks.
He graduated from San Pedro High School in 1931 and went on to college and law school at Loyola University. He had received a four-year debating scholarship, but also worked at Bethleham Steel's shipyard in San Pedro during the summer months. To earn his tuition for law school, he worked nights making tires at the Firestone plant in Los Angeles.
After passing the state bar examination in 1939, he entered private law practice. He and the former Miss McSweeney were married that year. They eventually had seven children.
In 1941, he joined the staff of the federal anti-trust division in Los Angeles. After the United States entered the war, he was selected to serve on the staff of a war frauds division.
In 1943, he transferred to the U.s. Attorney's office in Los Angeles.
In 1944, he enlisted in the Army, serving in the quartermaster corps.
After his discharge, he returned to the U.S. Attorney's office for two years followed by a return to private practice.
Judge Binns returned to federal service in 1949 as chief assistant and then became the U.S. Attorney for Southern California in 1951. At 37, he was one of the youngest prosecutors in the history of the local office. He broke a $1 million bookmaking syndicate during his time in that position. A Democrat, he resigned his post and returned to private practice when Eisenhower was elected president.
He was named to the Municipal Court bench in 1961 by Gov. Edmund G. "Pat" Brown. He was 47 at the time.
Only one of the Binns' children, Peggy, is left at home. Walter Scott, the oldest, lives in Quartz Hills near Lancaster. Evelyn lives in San Pedro as does her sister, Alana Maury, an investigator for the District Attorney. William is working for the State Department in Cairo, Egypt. George is an engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad in Topeka, Kansas. James, an Air Force captain, lives in Redlands. Judge Binns is also survived by 14 grandchildren.
Judge Binns served for years on the Board of Directors of the Boys' Club of San Pedro and was one of the only community activities in which he continued to participate. After the club built a new complex in the 1960's, he headed a committee to pay off the mortgage. In recent months he had devoted a great deal of time and energy preparing lease papers that would give the club an annual income from the Safeway stores.
Judge Binns had two lifetime hobbies - working with wood and collecting stamps. He was a member of he Knights of Columbus, San Pedro Elks Lodge 966, the San Pedro Civitan Club,and the American Legion.
Condensed from an article published in the San Pedro News Pilot, Wednesday, July 2, 1980.
Funeral services have been announced for Judge Walter S. Binns, a longtime San Pedro resident and community activist, who died Monday night in Colorado while on a fishing trip. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boys' Club of San Pedro.
Judge Binns had gone to a favorite mountain retreat in Lake City, Colorado, for a fishing outing with his wife, Peggy, and two sons. Late Monday, after spending the day fishing, he complained of shortness of breath and was driven by his son to a first aid station in the small gold mining community. They were advised to drive 58 miles to a hospital in Gunnison. Judge Binns died before reaching the hospital.
Born in Reno, Nevada, on July 31, 1914, Judge Binns was brought to San Pedro at the age of 9. He attended Leland Street Elementary School where he met his future wife, the former Peggy McSweeney, the daughter of an Irish immigrant working on the docks.
He graduated from San Pedro High School in 1931 and went on to college and law school at Loyola University. He had received a four-year debating scholarship, but also worked at Bethleham Steel's shipyard in San Pedro during the summer months. To earn his tuition for law school, he worked nights making tires at the Firestone plant in Los Angeles.
After passing the state bar examination in 1939, he entered private law practice. He and the former Miss McSweeney were married that year. They eventually had seven children.
In 1941, he joined the staff of the federal anti-trust division in Los Angeles. After the United States entered the war, he was selected to serve on the staff of a war frauds division.
In 1943, he transferred to the U.s. Attorney's office in Los Angeles.
In 1944, he enlisted in the Army, serving in the quartermaster corps.
After his discharge, he returned to the U.S. Attorney's office for two years followed by a return to private practice.
Judge Binns returned to federal service in 1949 as chief assistant and then became the U.S. Attorney for Southern California in 1951. At 37, he was one of the youngest prosecutors in the history of the local office. He broke a $1 million bookmaking syndicate during his time in that position. A Democrat, he resigned his post and returned to private practice when Eisenhower was elected president.
He was named to the Municipal Court bench in 1961 by Gov. Edmund G. "Pat" Brown. He was 47 at the time.
Only one of the Binns' children, Peggy, is left at home. Walter Scott, the oldest, lives in Quartz Hills near Lancaster. Evelyn lives in San Pedro as does her sister, Alana Maury, an investigator for the District Attorney. William is working for the State Department in Cairo, Egypt. George is an engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad in Topeka, Kansas. James, an Air Force captain, lives in Redlands. Judge Binns is also survived by 14 grandchildren.
Judge Binns served for years on the Board of Directors of the Boys' Club of San Pedro and was one of the only community activities in which he continued to participate. After the club built a new complex in the 1960's, he headed a committee to pay off the mortgage. In recent months he had devoted a great deal of time and energy preparing lease papers that would give the club an annual income from the Safeway stores.
Judge Binns had two lifetime hobbies - working with wood and collecting stamps. He was a member of he Knights of Columbus, San Pedro Elks Lodge 966, the San Pedro Civitan Club,and the American Legion.
Condensed from an article published in the San Pedro News Pilot, Wednesday, July 2, 1980.
Judge Binns had gone to a favorite mountain retreat in Lake City, Colorado, for a fishing outing with his wife, Peggy, and two sons. Late Monday, after spending the day fishing, he complained of shortness of breath and was driven by his son to a first aid station in the small gold mining community. They were advised to drive 58 miles to a hospital in Gunnison. Judge Binns died before reaching the hospital.
Born in Reno, Nevada, on July 31, 1914, Judge Binns was brought to San Pedro at the age of 9. He attended Leland Street Elementary School where he met his future wife, the former Peggy McSweeney, the daughter of an Irish immigrant working on the docks.
He graduated from San Pedro High School in 1931 and went on to college and law school at Loyola University. He had received a four-year debating scholarship, but also worked at Bethleham Steel's shipyard in San Pedro during the summer months. To earn his tuition for law school, he worked nights making tires at the Firestone plant in Los Angeles.
After passing the state bar examination in 1939, he entered private law practice. He and the former Miss McSweeney were married that year. They eventually had seven children.
In 1941, he joined the staff of the federal anti-trust division in Los Angeles. After the United States entered the war, he was selected to serve on the staff of a war frauds division.
In 1943, he transferred to the U.s. Attorney's office in Los Angeles.
In 1944, he enlisted in the Army, serving in the quartermaster corps.
After his discharge, he returned to the U.S. Attorney's office for two years followed by a return to private practice.
Judge Binns returned to federal service in 1949 as chief assistant and then became the U.S. Attorney for Southern California in 1951. At 37, he was one of the youngest prosecutors in the history of the local office. He broke a $1 million bookmaking syndicate during his time in that position. A Democrat, he resigned his post and returned to private practice when Eisenhower was elected president.
He was named to the Municipal Court bench in 1961 by Gov. Edmund G. "Pat" Brown. He was 47 at the time.
Only one of the Binns' children, Peggy, is left at home. Walter Scott, the oldest, lives in Quartz Hills near Lancaster. Evelyn lives in San Pedro as does her sister, Alana Maury, an investigator for the District Attorney. William is working for the State Department in Cairo, Egypt. George is an engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad in Topeka, Kansas. James, an Air Force captain, lives in Redlands. Judge Binns is also survived by 14 grandchildren.
Judge Binns served for years on the Board of Directors of the Boys' Club of San Pedro and was one of the only community activities in which he continued to participate. After the club built a new complex in the 1960's, he headed a committee to pay off the mortgage. In recent months he had devoted a great deal of time and energy preparing lease papers that would give the club an annual income from the Safeway stores.
Judge Binns had two lifetime hobbies - working with wood and collecting stamps. He was a member of he Knights of Columbus, San Pedro Elks Lodge 966, the San Pedro Civitan Club,and the American Legion.
Condensed from an article published in the San Pedro News Pilot, Wednesday, July 2, 1980.
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