up the fish, which was an old veteran with a scar on his tail from a battle with a predator, and gently as I could, slid him back in the water. It was all too much: we laughed until tears flowed. My second story is a golf one. Gene was a strong player who had been on the Princeton team. We often took day trips together, and one of those trips was to Wilmington Country Club at the invitation of Charlie McDowell. Charlie was and is a magnificent golfer who, if memory serves, won the Delaware Senior Open twice. I hope he doesn’t mind my reciting this story. Gene and I met Charlie and his partner, and Charlie told us we would be playing the North course, a very fine course in its own right. Despite Charlie’s clear superiority, we smoked him and his partner. The last hole on the North course is a par five with a pond short of the green. Charlie and his partner, having already lost the match, “pressed” the last hole. A press is an additional double or nothing bet. We never played for much money, but pride was definitely at stake. Gene hit a long drive, but pulled it left into the rough. He drew a perfect lie, pulled out his driver and smashed it on the green, sixty feet from the hole. Gene then pulled from the bag his old mallet head wood shafted putter which he used since he was 17 years old. He rolled the sixty foot putt into the hole for an eagle three to end the match and the day. Charlie had many great victories on the golf course, but this was not one. I mentioned briefly that Gene was a fine practitioner of the legal arts. Gene got more done in the early morning hours in his office than most of us did in a week. Gene was a gentleman, a wit, and a generous person. I will miss him, as will his family and all his friends.
NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR LAW DAY AWARDS The Delaware State Bar Association and the Awards Committee are seeking nominations for the Liberty Bell Award, the Community Service Award, and the Myrna L. Rubenstein Professional Support Recognition Award to be presented at the 2022 Law Day Luncheon. Below are the criteria for these awards.
LIBERTY BELL AWARD The Liberty Bell Award is given annually to an individual, who is not a judge or lawyer, who has rendered outstanding service to his or her community. The award is designed to promote a better understanding of government, a greater respect for the rule of law or a deeper sense of individual responsibility which contribute to the effective functioning of our governmental institutions.
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD The Community Service Award recognizes annually a member of the judiciary or the Delaware Bar who has rendered meaningful service to the community and who has contributed significant time and effort to the greater Delaware community. Nominees should have demonstrated a commitment to leadership and service in activities that enrich and strengthen our community over a substantial period of time.
MYRNA L. RUBENSTEIN PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT RECOGNITION AWARD This Award recognizes long and dedicated service to the Bench and Bar of the State of Delaware, to the Bar Association, and to the Members thereof, which has contributed in a significant way to them and to the high ideals of the legal profession. Nominations should be submitted to Mark S. Vavala, Executive Direc tor, DSBA at mvavala@dsba.org. The deadline for
Notes:
nominations is February 18, 2022. Please include: The name,
1. I will not tell the story of how Superior Court President Judge Jan Jurden in her youth came to Sussex County and caught many more flounder than two Sussex County veteran fishermen.
firm, and title/occupation of the Candidate; name and contact information (firm, address, email, phone, and fax) of the individual nominating the Candidate; and a brief statement of the reasons the Candidate is deserving of the Award. DSBA Bar Journal | February 2022
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