Peter Hill Beer

1928 - 2018

Peter (Pete) Hill Beer, a retired U.S. District judge, passed away on February 9, 2018. He was 89 years old. Judge Beer was born in New Orleans in 1928, the son of Mose and Henriette Beer and the brother of Cynthia Ann Beer. Judge Beer attended Isidore Newman School and graduated in 1945. Immediately after graduation, he volunteered for the Army and was training at College Station, Texas when World War ll ended. He returned to New Orleans to attend Tulane University for both his undergraduate degree (1949) and his law degree (1951). While at Tulane Law School, Judge Beer was the President of the Student Bar Association and the Intramural Council, the winner of the national Moot Court competition and presiding judge of the Tulane Moot Court Board. After law school, he was called to active duty for the Korean War, and served as a Captain and JAG officer in the U.S. Air Force from 1952 to 1955 and was awarded the Bronze Star. He was called up again as a Major during the Cuban missile crisis, and eventually became a Colonel in the Air Force reserve. In 1953, Pete married the late Roberta (Bobbie) Webb and they had three children, Kimberly, Kenneth and Dana, who were the joys of both of their lives. Judge Beer started his law career at Montgomery, Barnett, Brown and Sessions in 1954, became a partner in 1958 and remained with the firm for twenty years. In 1969, he was elected New Orleans City Councilman for District A and served until 1974 when he stepped down to successfully run for a judgeship on the Louisiana Court of Appeal. In 1979, Judge Beer was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve as a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Judge Beer served in this position for 30 years, assisted for much of this period by his assistant Terrie Galle. Judge Beer also obtained a Masters of Law (L.L.M.) from the University of Virginia, attending classes during the summers of 1983-1985 and receiving the Justice William Brennan Award in 2007 for his service to UVA Law School. In 1985, while attending the UVA program, Judge Beer married Marjorie Barry Spell of New Orleans in Charlottesville, Va. During his tenure as a judge, he decided hundreds of cases with thoughtfulness and fairness. He had great admiration for the bench and his fellow brethren, including his close friends and fishing pals, the late Judge Adrian Duplantier and Judge Buddy McNamara. He had great respect for the lawyers who argued their cases in his courtroom. Judge Beer received countless letters and notes from jury members and lawyers complimenting and appreciating his judicial and personal approach in his courtroom. Judge Beer mentored dozens of law clerks and lawyers, and was proud to have several become judges. Judge Beer was also involved as a plaintiff in two cases involving Congressional action impacting federal judges, and won both cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, most recently Beer v United States. He authored a Masters thesis while at UVA entitled Keeping up with the Jones Act which was printed in the Tulane Law Review. Despite his many accomplishments, Judge Beer remained humble and unassuming. Judge Beer was a life-long active golfer at Audubon Golf Course where he enjoyed many rounds as a lefty golfer, particularly with his lefty friend Stanley McDermott. He was also a life-long sailor at the Southern Yacht Club as he took numerous sailing adventures and loved his time on the water. Judge Beer was an avid reader, with books on Winston Churchill being his favorite. He was a past Board member of Touro Hospital, was an adjunct professor at Tulane and UNO, and was a supporter of the World War ll Museum, the Air Force Memorial in Washington, D.C., Tulane University and Newman School. He greeted everyone with a kind word and he always had a twinkle in his eyes. He greatly loved his family, always showed an interest in their activities and accomplishments, and he was a constant presence and visitor in their lives. Judge Beer is survived by his wife Marjorie Beer, his children Kimberly Beer Bailes (Chas), Kenneth Beer (Margaret) and Dana Beer, and grandchildren Courtney Bailes Quarles (Chrisler), Ashley Bailes Kelly (Sean), Charlie Bailes (Leigh Anne), Pete Long-Innes (Jenny), Kingsley Beer Clements (Jack), Jack Long-Innes (Allie) and Megan Beer Eustis (Mason), and great grandchildren Kimble Quarles, Josephine Quarles, Vivian Bailes, Charles Bailes V, Corinne Kelly, Hailey Long-Innes and James Bailes Kelly. He is also survived by Margie's children Doyle (Buddy) Spell (Annie), Jane Smith (Terry), and Susan James (Philip) and grandchildren Melissa, Megan, Philip, Sarah, William and Andrew. A service will be held on Monday February 19, 2018 at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. New Orleans, La. at 12:00 with visitation beginning at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to Isidore Newman School 1903 Jefferson Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115 or The National World War II Museum 945 Magazine Street 70130. To sign and view the guest book, visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.