Mark Campbell, chairman of the Webster County Board of Supervisors, named Cady the recipient of the Friend of the County award at the statewide superviors meeting at the Embassy Suites in Des Moines. Cady, of Fort Dodge, died unexpectedly in November 2019 after suffering a heart attack in Des Moines. He was 66.

Cady’s widow, Rebecca Cady, accepted the Friend of the County award on his behalf.

“It was a very emotional moment,” Campbell said. “She received a standing ovation from the whole room.”

The Friend of the County award has been around since 2016.

Past recipients include: state Sen. Randy Feenstra, Ken Rizer and Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Throughout his decorated career, Campbell said that Cady worked to keep courthouse security up to date and worked diligently to see that there was court personnel in all 99 counties.

“Most importantly,” Campbell said. “He provided opportunities for all Iowans to have access to justice and the legal system.”

Cady was appointed a district associate judge in 1983 and a district court judge in 1986. In 1994, he was appointed to the Iowa Court of Appeals.

He was elected chief judge of the Court of Appeals in 1997. The following year he was named to the state Supreme Court.

Cady had served on the Supreme Court since 1998 and was elected chief justice by his fellow justices in 2011.

Of all the opinions he wrote while on the bench, his 2009 opinion in the case of Varnum v. Brien which legalized same sex marriage in Iowa, gained the most public attention.

Campbell said “it was an honor” to be able to present the award to Rebecca Cady.