OBA Remembers Comrades at Annual Memorial Service
The Omaha Bar Association bid farewell to 41 attorney members as well as the former executive director of the organization.
The annual memorial service, held last Friday in the legislative chambers of the Omaha-Douglas Civic Center, welcomed friends, family members and colleagues, plus a livestream.
Omaha attorney Joe Daly offered reflections.
“We’re here today to honor and remember lawyers, your lawyers, who unfortunately passed away in the last two years and to celebrate their lives,” Daly said in his remarks. “We’re here to remember their accomplishments, their achievements, their dedication to the practice of law and to say thank you to them for all that they did, and they did a lot.”
The departed were remembered for their kindness, fairness, character, benevolence and for being a force for good in their own ways.
“Some were trial lawyers. Some were professors. Some were criminal defense lawyers. Some were probate and estate planning lawyers. Some practiced family law. Some were general practitioners. Some went on the bench. And some worked in various aspects of business,” Daly said. “They were all professionals, and they were all dedicated to the practice. They taught the law. They administered the law. They applied the law. They practiced the law. And they made sure that the public had access to the law.”
All that is except for Mardee Johnston, who transformed the OBA as she grew an “executive secretary” role to an executive directorship. Johnston was given the rare honor of recognition at the OBA event, which is typically reserved only for attorneys.
The ceremony included more names than usual after the 2020 service was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Daly remarked upon the tally, which included Laure Smith Camp, whose death rocked the OBA and the wider legal community last year.
“Oftentimes, the speaker at this event will go through the names of the deceased and say a word or two about each one of them,” Daly said. “As you know because of COVID and the pandemic, we were not able to have a program last year, so we are actually obviously honoring two years of our fallen attorneys.”
But, he added, in general terms: “Your lawyers made a better life for their families. They made a better life for their clients. And sometimes they made a better life for their city or their town.”
Stacy L. Morris was the chair of the OBA Memorial Committee. Doug Amen, president of the Omaha Barristers Club, recognized the absent. Thomas Shomaker, accompanied by Peg Lucy, performed “God of Day and God of Darkness.”
Benson VFW Post 2503 Honor Guard posted and retired the colors, and The Daily Record provided programs. Bishop Michael T. Moten of One Way Ministry Apostles’ Doctrine Church offered the benediction.
IN MEMORIAM, 2019 – 2021
William G. “Bill” Campbell IV — April 13, 2019
Michael J. “Mike” Mooney — May 10, 2019
John J. “Jack” Gross — June 15, 2019
Dean G. Kratz — July 30, 2019
Ronald Keith Parsonage — August 3, 2019
Thomas F. Dowd — August 7, 2019
William J. “Bill” Dunn — September 29, 2019
Frank J. Barrett — October 13, 2019
Thomas R. Hickey — November 22, 2019
Daniel G. Crouchley — December 7, 2019
Gloria J. Sorey — January 1, 2020
Timothy M. “Tim” Morrison— January 19, 2020
Terrence D. “Terry” O’Hare — January 22, 2020
Patricia A. “Patty” Kiscoan — January 29, 2020
Albert L. Feldman — February 22, 2020
Richard E. O’Toole — March 9, 2020
Michelle T. Byrnes — May 2, 2020
Bruce D. — May 20, 2020
Aaron C. Wegner — May 20, 2020
Ronald Craig Fry — July 26, 2020
Rodney Shkolnick — July 29, 2020
William L. “Bill” Monahan — September 19, 2020
Hon. Laurie Smith Camp — September 23, 2020
Douglas S. Lash — October 7, 2020
Richard G. Zevitz — October 22, 2020
David K. Karnes — October 25, 2020
Hon. Ben Novicoff — December 1, 2020
Hon. C. Thomas White — December 11, 2020
Francis M. “Frank” Schepers — December 28, 2020
Mardee Korinek Johnston — January 13, 2021
Richard P. “Dick” Jeffries — January 19, 2021
John W. Steele — January 25, 2021
Hon. George A. Thompson — January 25, 2021
Steve E. Achelpohl — April 17, 2021
Marian Thomte — April 18, 2021
Eileen A. Hansen — April 20, 2021
Keith I. Frederick — April 20, 2021
Timothy J. Pugh — May 17, 2021
Paul L. LaPuzza— May 20, 2021
Jack F. Chapman — June 30, 2021
Jon A. Sedlacek — July 10, 2021
Richard A. Rowland — August 4, 2021
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