The Law School mourns the passing of Charles C. Papy, Jr., JD ’53, who passed away on January 2, 2009.

Born on August 18,1927 in Miami, Papy was the only child of Charles C. Papy, Sr. and Mary Crane. He graduated from Miami High in 1945, and was a proud member of the school’s 1943 and 1944 football teams. He then attended the University of Florida for one year before returning to Miami to finish his studies at the University of Miami where he became a lifelong Canes fan and joined Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. In 1948, he married June Marlow and raised two sons, Charles III and Stephen. Papy took a job as an insurance adjustor while earning his law degree in the Law School’s evening program. He graduated with honors in 1953. His love of the law and the drama of the courtroom sustained him and he remained active in his practice until his death.

Known as a "lawyer's lawyer", Papy was a relentless advocate for his clients and a mentor for many lawyers. An expert in insurance litigation, he was a member of the Florida Bar for fifty-five years and tried over three hundred jury trials. In 1972, he was elected to the Florida Legislature representing district 117 and served through 1978, rising to the level of chairman of the Dade House and Senate Delegation. His accomplishments in the legislature included a complete revision of the workman's compensation laws. He also worked to provide funding for Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University of Miami. One of his proudest moments was participating in his granddaughter's graduation from the Law School as the first third generation graduate. In 2006, the Moot Court Board at the Law School was named in his honor.

Papy was an avid sportsman who loved to fish, hunt, shoot skeet, and golf. He had at least one golf club from each manufacturer over the last thirty years. In the 1960s he raised cattle and enjoyed riding quarter horses with his family as well as competing in numerous horse shows throughout the southeast. He spent as much time as possible at his second home in Crystal River, where he enjoyed the outdoors.

He was active in numerous community organizations. He was a founding member of the Howard Palmetto Khoury league and the first president of the Westminster Christian Chiefs. He was also a longtime member of LaGorce Country Club and Seven Rivers Golf Club. In addition, he was also a deacon in the Presbyterian Church, having been a member of Granada and Kendall Presbyterian. He was also the president of the Presbytery of the Everglades.

Papy is survived by his devoted wife of twenty three years, Deborah; her children, Melissa, James (Michelle), and John; sons, Charles III (Anne), Stephen (Maria); and grandchildren, Jennifer (Brendan Barrow), Ryan, Alyson, Douglas, Travis, Katie, Stephen, Laura (Carlos, Victoria and Susana Perez), Mark, Kyle, and Madison; and great-grandchild, Christopher Eugene.

Click here to view or sign the Miami Herald's online guest book for Charles C. "Papa" Papy Jr.

posted 05-January-2009