Firm but fair. That’s how Judge Fran Gull described her predecessor, former Judge Philip Thieme, who spent 25 years on the Allen Superior Court bench.

Thieme, 90, died on Nov. 25. He leaves behind a legacy of dedication to service, truth and keeping those around him safe, his family and former colleagues said.

“I think he fulfilled his role as a judge very much in the interest of the community,” his son Christopher Thieme said. “I think he was very focused on the potential for people to be rehabilitated rather than punished for their crimes. So, he may have looked like a policeman’s judge, but in fact, he had a lot of heart in dealing with both victims and perpetrators of crimes in Fort Wayne.”

Christopher Thieme said his father would routinely note what drove someone to commit a crime

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