Tribute to attorney John French

Editor:

My long time law partner, John French, died on April 29, 2005, about a month short of his 90th birthday. Even though he left an impressive legacy in this community, he left explicit instructions that no memorial service be conducted. That was troubling to some of his friends. To the extent I can offer any consolation about that, let me simply say that John's wishes were thoughtfully written down and deeply felt. He recognized that many people yearn for the "closure" of a funeral, but his hope was that he would simply be remembered fondly by his friends for the good times shared with him. Since that was his call, his instruction has been honored, because John's daughter Joan and I know he would be "mad-er-n hell" at us (his words) if we did not follow it.

He did not prohibit us from commentary on his life, preferably quietly among those who knew him, but his impressive life warrants some public commentary too. Because he's probably still observing us, I'll keep mine brief — at least in this setting.

John rose from very humble beginnings to lead a successful life as a lawyer, WWII Vet., County Attorney, member of the State Board of Regents, and an extraordinarily productive member of the community. Instead of seeking recognition for that, he simply did it because it was the right thing to do, and he knew it needed to be done. The volume of this accumulated public service is breathtaking. He had no expectation or desire to be honored for it in a memorial service, but he did all of it with distinction, and commitment.

John hired me fresh out of law school and provided me with the mentoring necessary to take over his law practice and protect his clients. The job was appreciated, but his personal guidance was profoundly appreciated. When it's my time to step back, I'll

try to do that, as he taught me. John's secretaries, past and present over 60 plus years, loved him. They have called in. There cannot be a more compelling litmus test than that, and he passed it. His wise counsel will be forever remembered by all of us in the law firm.

A life well lived includes the accumulation of good friends. When you approach 90, those numbers begin to dwindle, but John French had many left. They remained intensely loyal to him, especially throughout his health difficulties toward the end of his life. They knew that his life was well-lived, and they cherished his continuing active companionship. John was very gratified by that.

You can't beat a life like the one lived by John French. We'll miss him dearly.

Phil Grainey

Ronan