Sally A. Edkins, who served 26 years as a district justice in Upper St. Clair before retiring last year, died of cancer yesterday at St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon. She was 68.

She was born in Midway, Washington County. Her family moved to the city, where she graduated from Schenley High School. She took a job in a drug store and met Thomas Edkins Jr., who worked in the theater next door. They married in 1958.

Mr. Edkins said that after their wedding, his wife started working as a secretary to the district justice. In the late 1960s, when the judge retired, she decided the job of adjudicating traffic tickets and landlord-tenant disputes was one she'd like to have.

"But she had to get the [college degree]," Mr. Edkins said. "So she went to Wilson College in Chambersburg, where she crammed two years of college in one month. Then she passed the tests and was appointed [to the position]."

She went on to be elected to four six-year terms, he said.

"She was very fair and straightened a lot of young kids out," Mr. Edkins said. "Everybody loved her, but they toed the line."

As punishment for some traffic infractions, she would sentence young people to local work programs, cleaning parks and dog kennels, washing fire trucks and police cars.

"[The kids] used to come back from school and thank her for her guidance, putting them on the straight-and-narrow," Mr. Edkins said. "And she wouldn't fix [any] tickets. She was an all-business judge."

She made sure she passed along the lessons of right and wrong. Late in life, she doted on her grandchildren, sending them homemade newsletters called "Gram's Gossip," which included stories of make-believe animals with subtle moral messages.

She retired in July 2007.

Other survivors include sons John R. Edkins of Upper St. Clair, Donald P. Edkins of Scott, Jeffrey A. Edkins of Upper St. Clair and Thomas P. Edkins III of Burgettstown; and 11 grandchildren.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at William Slater II Funeral Service in Scott. A service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at South Hills Community Baptist Church.