Chuck Oberdorfer was my law partner for over 20 years and during that time I got to know him as a friend, colleague and as a highly skilled attorney. Those who knew Chuck professionally in his extensive family law and probate practice (occasionally real estate) all knew of his impeccable ethics and character.
His entire 35-plus years as an attorney were spent in Jacksonville and his courtesy and professionalism were a product of how things were done then and, to a great extent, now in this great community of lawyers. It was never a problem to grant those few extra days to respond. His word was his bond and no one ever really had to confirm anything in writing to him. He never had to read the “Standards on Professionalism” - they were second nature to him.
I am sitting in his office as I write this tribute and the memorabilia, plaques, pictures and diplomas are a reflection of his diverse life: graduation diplomas from UNC and UF Law; past president of the local B’Nai B’rith; past president of his Temple; appreciation plaques from Morocco Temple for his time and donations; family photos too numerous to comprehend; pictures of his clients’ children; Midget, Little League and High School coaching plaques, Civil War memorabilia (a relative was Judah P. Benjamin, Treasurer of the Confederacy); Tar Heel and Gator stuff galore — he was a real fan.
Chuck’s motivation in life was not money or fame. It was to do the right thing by everyone he met. A good part of his professional time was spent just taking care of his friends and clients regardless of ability to pay. I have never known him to try to withdraw from any case because of “jurisdictional” problems or failure to find the elusive “Mr. Green.” That sort of thing was never an issue with Chuck, much to my chagrin at times. He was never happier than when he dismissed a dissolution action because of reconciliation of his client and his or her spouse.
Family was paramount to Chuck. He is survived by his wife June, who was once called to Jury Duty and when asked what kind of lawyer her husband was, responded “The best damn lawyer in Jacksonville.” His son, Douglas, is also an attorney in Jacksonville and a source of great pride to Chuck, as is his daughter, Kathy, who brought him great joy and happiness. Chuck’s sister, Candy, is married to Jacksonville lawyer, Michael Edwards, and his brother, Paul, is a local doctor.
Since Chuck’s death, I have received hundreds of phone calls and letters, all expressing great admiration for Chuck and sadness for his passing. We will all miss his great stories and humor. He will be sorely missed and remembered with great fondness and respect.
— by John G. Barry III
On July 9, 2002, Mr. Ely Robert (Bob) Williams passed away. He practiced law for 34 years, the majority of those years as a partner with the law firm of Boyd & Jenerette. He was among the first class to be board certified in the field of workers’ compensation and was also a board certified mediator.
We all watched Bob fight his illness. He did so with the same courage, dedication and strength in which he had lived his entire life. He once told me shortly after his diagnosis that he was going to “live to live, not live to die”. That is exactly what he did. When it was time for him to leave this life he did so on his own terms.
Bob lived life with a passion. First and foremost, were his faith, family, and the practice of law. However, he attacked his other pursuits with the same exuberance. He enjoyed to travel, read, and play golf (He loved to display his Hole-N-One plaque to those who had been playing for a lot longer than he). Recently, he began a collection of chess sets, many from Europe, which became his latest passion. I know that one of his greatest hobbies was woodworking. He was an extremely accomplished carpenter as was evidenced by his home and his office. As with everything else in his life, Bob was a perfectionist when it came to his woodwork. He would build with the same sense of exactness and perfectionism that he used to defend his clients in workers’ compensation claims or to bring two unwilling participants in a mediation to a successful resolution.
Bob gave me the opportunity to work with him for 14 years. In that time, he instilled in everyone in the office a sense of ethics and fair play which he showed were so easily compatible with a zealous representation of one’s client. While there may be gray areas in the world of law, there were none in Bob’s life or his practice of law. It was either “right or it was not.” Furthermore, his leadership and teaching were not only for the lawyers and staff of Boyd & Jenerette, but he made himself available to everyone. Bob would receive daily calls from local attorneys, young and old, seeking advice on any number of issues. Bob not only accepted these phone calls, he encouraged them.
The response to Bob’s death in the legal community and the community as a whole has been overwhelming. Everyone’s well wishes and offers of assistance are greatly appreciated by the firm and also Bob’s family, his wife Anne, his daughte, Susan, her husband Jeff, his son Rob, and his wife Melissa. We all miss him, but we all carry a part of him with us.
— by Benford Samuels Jr.