Steven Ogden

Retired judge of the Los Angeles County Northern District Superior Court (California) Steven Ogden, 74, of Cape Girardeau passed away Thursday, June 14, 2018, at his home.

Steven was born Nov. 4, 1943, in Los Angeles to Dale and Wilma Ogden.

He was a 1965 graduate of Occidental College and of the University of California-Los Angeles School of Law in 1969, being admitted to the state bar that same year.

He served as district attorney for more than 29 years in Los Angeles County and was elected to the bench of the Antelope Municipal Court in 1998. In 2000, that court merged with the Superior Court of Los Angeles, where he remained for 16 years. At the time of the opening of the Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse, he was the presiding judge of the court and also served on the executive committee. His entire judicial career was spent in criminal law.

He retired in September 2014 and moved to Cape Girardeau with his wife, Mary Jane, with whom he shared a lifelong love of world travel. This past year they were in Australia, Asia, Europe and Africa, where he enjoyed seeing the "Big 5" on safari for the second time. He was a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association. He had planned to spend his retirement pursuing his hobbies of woodworking and reading and had several more trips planned.

Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Mary Jane Almandoz Ogden; his children, Heather Ogden, Kourtney (Charlie) Layne and Ethan Ogden, all of California; his grandchildren, James, Rosemary and Melody Layne; sister, Sally (Ron) Laugesen; Mary Jane's daughters and their children, Ethea (Paul) Schallberger, Elena (Christopher) DeLuna, Silvia and Paul Schallberger and Matthew and Adriana DeLuna.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

A private funeral will be held in Lancaster, California. A celebration of life will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Dalhousie Manor.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

Online condolences may be shared at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.