Joseph Ethan Meyer III
04/06/45 – 01/03/23
Judge Joseph Ethan Meyer, III, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away on January 3, 2023 after a long illness. Born in 1945 in Oklahoma, Judge Meyer grew up in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood, attending Hallett Elementary, Smiley Junior High and East High School. He went on to earn degrees from Williams College and Harvard Law School. Judge Meyer returned to Denver after graduating from law school in 1970 and began his legal career as a staff attorney for Colorado Legal Services. He went on to practice law in the private sector, mainly as a litigator, until he was appointed by Governor Roy Romer to the Denver District Court in 1997. He served as a judge for 10 years. After leaving the bench, Joe continued to practice law with the Judicial Arbiter Group (JAG) until his retirement. Judge Meyer was known for his judicial excellence and as a fair, kind and caring man. He was beloved by his staff and respected and admired by colleagues throughout his legal career.
Having grown up in Colorado, Joe had a deep love for the mountains where he enjoyed skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, camping and fishing. He also enjoyed spending time with family and friends. He is survived by his wife, Jane, three children, Jenny, Jon and Chris, and seven grandchildren.
Contributions in Joe’s memory may be made to the Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado – 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 701, Denver, Colorado 80203, legalaidfoundation.org. A private celebration of life will be held in the spring.
A comment from Larry Ricketts:
Joe and I lived in the same Denver neighborhood. We attended the same church, and our children grew up together. In fact, my son and one of Joe’s sons attended Williams College together. Joe was bright, humble and kind with a keen sense for people. He was tall and handsome with a dignified carriage. He had a wonderful laugh and a great sense of humor. He was a brilliant lawyer and a terrific Denver District judge. He will be remembered as one of the “good ones” that Denver has produced.