Former delegate and former Virginia Bar Association president George Rogers Clark Stuart of Abingdon died Saturday at 83. According to his obituary in the Bristol Herald Courier, Mr. Stuart served in decisive Army action in World War II. He practiced for 40 years with the firm now known as PennStuart. We are told that his funeral was attended by retired U.S. Sen. Howard H. Baker Jr. of Tennessee.
By Peter Vieth
Of the late Mr. Gouldman, the Free Lance-Star writes, “One of his most cherished accomplishments was his participation in successfully lobbying the [William & Mary] Board of Visitors against the proposed closing of the School of Law in 1939.”
From the Roanoke Times comes word of the passing of former Rocky Mount lawyer Keister Greer.
From a 1999 news release on the re-appointment of Mr. Greer to the U.Va. Board of Visitors:
“T. Keister Greer has been a member of the Virginia Bar Association for 50 years and the California Bar Association for 45 years, specializing in water and land litigation in both states. He has served on the Board of Directors of the First Virginia Bank for 23 years, chairing the board of the First Virginia Bank of Franklin County for 20 years.
“Greer attended the University of Virginia between 1939 and 1942 before leaving the school for service in the United States Marine Corps. As a second lieutenant, first lieutenant and captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, he saw combat in World War II in the Pacific, including the Battle of Okinawa. In November 1945, Keister Greer reentered UVA, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor.”
Greer also was the author of two books on Franklin County’s colorful history and the father of Circuit Judge G. Carter Greer.
Fairfax Circuit Judge David Stitt died Saturday after suffering a heart attack while on vacation in North Carolina. Even if you’re a Fairfax lawyer and familiar with his Texas drawl and direct manner, The Washington Post obituary has information about him that you probably didn’t know.
Judge Nelson T. Overton, who served on the Court of Appeals from 1995 to 1999, died at his home yesterday. He was 79.
The judge was a circuit judge in Hampton before he became the first judge from the Peninsula to serve on the intermediate court.
The Daily Press has details.
Professor Neill H. Alford Jr., who taught law at the University of Virginia law school for 41 years, has died at the age of 88.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch has an appreciation.
Senior Judge H. Emory Widener Jr. of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals died yesterday at his home in Abingdon, reports the Bristol Herald Courier. He was 83. Appointed to the bench by President Nixon in 1972, Judge Widener took senior status in July.
Retired Judge Jack Coulter died last Thursday at the age of 83. He served on the 23rd Circuit, covering Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem, from 1973 to 1989. In the 1980s, Judge Coulter twice was under consideration for a seat on the Supreme Court of Virginia. The judge practiced law with his son Philip in Roanoke after leaving the bench.
The Roanoke Times has the story.
Retired Richmond civil rights lawyer Oliver W. Hill Sr. died this morning at the age of 100, reports The Associated Press.
Mr. Hill was one of the lawyers in the 1954 landmark decision, Brown v. Board of Education. He and his colleague Spotswood W. Robinson represented black students from Prince Edward County. Mr. Hill’s law school classmate, Thurgood Marshall, was lead counsel when the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said in a statement, “As a pioneer for civil rights, an accomplished attorney, and a war veteran, Mr. Hill’s dedication to serving the Commonwealth and the country never failed. And, despite all of the accolades and honors he received, Mr. Hill always believed his true legacy was working to challenge the conscience of our Commonwealth and our country.”
Monday morning update:
The news of Mr. Hill’s passing prompted a number of stories in the Aug. 6 editions of several newspapers. The Richmond Times-Dispatch has a career retrospective, as does the Washington Post.
Mr. Hill grew up in the Star City, and the Roanoke Times offers this article. The Associated Press has a piece containing reaction and tributes from a number of Virginia’s elected officials.
Not included in the AP item is a statement from the judges of the Richmond Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court, who work in the Oliver Hill Courts Building in downtown Richmond.
Chief Judge Kimberly B. O’Donnell noted, “Oliver Hill inspired many people in our nation by his extraordinary advocacy for equal justice under the law. His entire career was focused upon improving the lives of ordinary people and their families. He greatly honored this Court by allowing it to bear his name.”
Retired Louisa County Circuit Judge Harold H. Purcell died July 14 at the age of 87.
Judge Purcell served in both the House of Delegates and the Senate before he went on the bench in 1966. In 1958, he patroned the bill that established Virginia’s uninsured motorist laws. When he retired from the bench in 1979, he joined his son Charles in the firm of Purcell & Purcell, where he was the senior partner until his death.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch has the full story.
