Longtime Florida contractor and concrete pump maker James Patrick Judge Sr. died Dec. 29 at Melech Hospice House in Temple Terrace, Fla., at age 78, according to his son, James Judge Jr.. He founded multiple companies in the industry and worked on projects at Walt Disney World Resort, Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium and other notable Florida sites. 

Judge was born in Waukegan, Ill., and moved to Sarasota, Fla., as a boy. He founded Judge Construction in the 1960s, and the concrete contractor contributed to projects including the Skyway Bridge and Tampa International Airport. A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to protect the 16th century Spanish fort Castillo San Felipe del Morro in San Juan was a personal highlight for Judge, according to Judge Jr. The contractor placed concrete at key points around the fort’s base in order to prevent erosion. Another highlight was working on the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.