Cabarrus County District Court Judge David Brent Cloninger died Oct. 18 in Concord at age 62, leaving behind a nearly 16-year tenure on the bench and deep roots in the community he served.
Cloninger was born Nov. 17, 1963, in Cabarrus County and graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School as a member of the Class of 1982, according to his obituary in the Independent Tribune. He earned a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1986.
After working in a family-owned insurance business for four years, Cloninger enrolled at the Norman A. Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in 1990. He graduated in 1993 and opened a solo law practice in Cabarrus County, handling cases in both District and Superior courts.
Law enforcement ran in the family. His father, Bobby June Cloninger, spent more than 50 years in the field, first as a trooper with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and later as a bailiff with the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office.
Cloninger won his first election to the District Court bench in November 2010 and took the oath of office Jan. 1, 2011. Voters returned him three more times, in 2014, 2018 and 2022. At the time of his death, he was a sitting judge for Judicial District 25.
Concord Mayor Steve Morris ordered flags at city facilities flown at half-staff from noon Friday, Oct. 23, through noon Monday, Oct. 26, in Cloninger's honor, the Independent Tribune reported.
Beyond the courtroom, Cloninger had served on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council and the Boys and Girls Club Advisory Board. He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Concord, where funeral services were held Saturday, Oct. 24.
He is survived by his wife, Lisa McRorie Cloninger, and his brother, Bobby Cloninger, among other family members.
In lieu of flowers, the family asked that memorial gifts be directed to the Cabarrus K9 Retirement Fund, 540 Hinson Road, Richfield, NC 28137. The fund supports retired K9s of the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office with veterinary care and other needs.
