CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Retired District Court Judge Joaquin Villarreal III has died.
Villarreal, who was from Robstown, died this afternoon after suffering from an extended illness. He was 75.
Villarreal was an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967. He was honorably discharged on June 3, 1967, and went on to attend the University of Texas at Austin where he received a Bachelor Degree in History and Government.
Villarreal continued his education at Texas Southern School of Law and passed the Texas State Bar Exam in 1974.
He served Nueces County for many years. He served as the Assistant District Attorney of Nueces County from 1975 to 1976, Nueces County Commissioner Precinct 3 from 1977 to 1981, and County Court at Law Number 3.
He was then elected as the judge for the 347th District Court where he served until 2000.
Villarreal also served as Local Presiding Judge over Nueces County Juvenile Board and served as visiting Judge for the Fifth Administrative Judicial Region through 2014.
