DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court says former Justice Daryl Hecht has died after leaving his position to focus on his treatment for skin cancer. The court’s spokesman Steve Davis says Hecht died early Wednesday. He was 66.

Hecht, who was appointed by Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack in 2006, resigned from the court in December while receiving treatment for melanoma in Sioux City and at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

In a statement, the Iowa Judicial Branch described Hecht as a kind, thoughtful jurist with a passion for the law and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.
He practiced law in Sioux City for 22 years before his appointment in 1999 to the Iowa Court of Appeals, where he served until his appointment to the Supreme Court.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and three grandchildren.