by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Services for Judge Jefferson Morrow are scheduled at 1 p.m. Sunday at Riverside Presbyterian Church. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Saturday.
The funeral and visitation are both at the church at 849 Park St. Morrow, 56, died at his Riverside home Wednesday morning. Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Morrow is survived by his wife of 24 years, Susie, and their children Madalaine Chase Morrow and Jefferson Slayton Morrow.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Morrow Children’s Scholarship Fund in care of lawyer David Peek, 50 N. Laura St., Suite 2600, Jacksonville, FL 32202.
According to information provided to the Daily Record, Morrow was born in Jacksonville and grew up in Avondale and Orange Park, where he honed his fishing skills on River Road. He attended Episcopal High School and graduated from Orange Park High School in 1973, where he played varsity basketball.
Morrow graduated in 1977 from Davidson College in North Carolina with a major in English literature. He was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and the Rugby Club. His interest in writing, directing and film began with many campus acting projects.
Morrow developed his own movies, with two projects under way at the time of his death. Those were “Fins - The Movie” and “Red Dot Compliance.”
The former was nearly completed and Morrow had anticipated a March showing, considering both Alhambra Theatre & Dining and the Florida Theatre. The latter film had just began shooting at Jacksonville locations.
“Fins” includes some of the stories Morrow experienced or heard of at the courthouse and also depicted the practice of shark finning, where fisherman cut off the fins of sharks and then throw the sharks back into the water.
Scenes have been filmed in area courthouses, restaurants and parks, as well as some remote locations.
Morrow taught English and coached football and soccer for two years at Bishop Kenny High School and also was a Realtor in St. Augustine.
He began his interest in the law by attending the University of Florida College of Law and graduated from Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Ala., in 1982.
Morrow worked for the Public Defender’s Office for three years and went into private practice with several attorneys. His law practice, which spanned 25 years, was in personal injury, wrongful death cases and appellate law.
He specialized in nursing home abuse litigation, and was board certified by The Florida Bar in Civil Trial practice.
Morrow presented cases before the Florida Supreme Court and First District Court of Appeals.
He also donated numerous hours to pro bono legal work for many community organizations.
In 2008, he was elected as a Circuit Judge in the 4th Judicial Circuit, where he served in both the Juvenile and Adult Felony Divisions.
Morrow was a member of the Jacksonville Trial Lawyers Association, the American Board of Trial Advocates, The Florida Bar, The Jacksonville Bar Association, the Westside Rotary Club, the Florida Yacht Club and Riverside Presbyterian Church, where he served as a volunteer coach in its youth basketball program.
All of his career work supported his love for sports, including fishing, diving, kayaking and the outdoors. “Capt. Duct Tape” regularly organized adventures in Central and South America, the Florida Keys and the Caribbean and also providing philanthropic services to the local communities.
In addition to his wife and children, Morrow is survived by his mother, Sara W. Morrow, his sisters, Elizabeth Wery (Louis) and Sally Kirilloff, and his brothers Matthew Morrow (Karron) and John Morrow (Martha) and eight nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father, Dr. Matthew E. Morrow Jr.
To fill Morrow’s position, Gov. Rick Scott will appoint a candidate from a list supplied by the Fourth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission. The commission will interview candidates and send Scott three to six names.
Fourth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission members include Chair Vivian Gallo, Richard Alexander, Wayne Alford, Dexter Davis, Deno Hicks, Robert O’Quinn, Ava Parker, William Prichard and Gregory Strickland.
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