More than 100 friends of the late Bethel Park Magisterial District Judge Rob Wyda came together to celebrate his life on Friday, October 11, at Lindenwood Golf Course in Canonsburg for the first annual Robert C. Wyda Memorial Golf Outing.
Many of those who came together to honor Judge Wyda's contributions to his community were judges, attorneys, and police officers who had witnessed the judge’s impact. Wyda was recognized as a trailblazer for alternative sentencing, often assigning offenders to mandatory drug rehabilitation or anger management classes.
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“Rob was everything a district magistrate should be,” said Nick Sherman, vice president of the Domestic Outreach Center and one of the event organizers. “So many people have told us about the impact he had on their lives or their family members.
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“He went above and beyond what was expected, even going to people’s houses,” Sherman continued. “He would take the time to talk personally with victims of domestic violence about how to handle their case. In one civil dispute involving a contractor, Rob actually climbed up on the roof and examined the work himself so he would know how to decide the case. Rob was also a leader in delivering anti-bullying messages at schools before it became popular. He will be greatly missed.”
Wyda was also known for his accessibility at all times to parents of troubled teens. He often encouraged parents to bring their children to him, pointing out that if he sentenced them to drug rehabilitation they could not check themselves out of the program before completing it.
At dinner following the golf outing, Mt. Lebanon Magisterial District Judge Blaise Larotonda presented Wyda’s wife, Shannon, with a proclamation from the Pennsylvania Magistrate Association and a Bible as a gift from Allegheny County’s district magistrates. Larotonda and Wyda covered each other’s days off and also teamed up for presentations to the Upper St. Clair Youth Steering Committee.
“I saw how helpful Rob was to new judges on every nuance of the job,” Larotonda recalled. “Usually you don’t schedule hearings when someone is filling in for you, but when Rob filled in for me he would want to do hearings because he loved the job so much. Any time you wanted information or had a question, Rob was there. He would never tell other judges how to rule, but he would help them understand how to do what was best for the people.”
Proceeds from the golf outing will initially be used to assist the Wydas’ two children, Jared and Rachel, with their college costs. Donations are still appreciated; checks payable to the Robert C. Wyda Memorial Fund can be mailed to the fund at 2073 Majestic Drive, Canonsburg, PA 15317.
