John Fitzgerald MOLLOY

MOLLOY, John Fitzgerald born 100 years ago on August 18, 1917, lived for more than 90 adventurous years as lawyer, judge, author, Navy captain, pilot, tennis aficionado, father, grandfather and much more. He is still remembered daily as a patriarch for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. John Molloy was raised in Yuma where his father, Irish immigrant Thomas D. Molloy, served as Yuma County Attorney in the early days of Arizona statehood. John left Yuma to study law at the University of Arizona, and earned his JD in 1946 (after serving as a WWII US Navy pilot in the Pacific until 1945). John Molloy took his legal career beyond trial lawyer to serve as Pima County Superior Court Judge, Chief Judge of Arizona Court of Appeals, and then president of the largest law firm in Southern Arizona, Molloy, Jones, Donahue. He held community leadership positions with National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade, Marshall Foundation, Arizona Board of Regents, Tucson YMCA, American Legion, Arizona Judges Association, Little Chapel of All Nations, El Pueblo Health Center, Arizona Children's Home, Child Guidance Clinic and St. Elizabeth of Hungary Clinic. He was visiting professor with the UA College of Law and received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws in 1986 and UA Distinguished Citizen Awards in 1975 and 1994. Beyond professional and community service, he put family and loved ones first. He often said that he could live on forever through his children and descendants, and almost every day he would exclaim to everyone, "Life is good!" Love to our Dad, from J.J. Molloy, Marjorie Letson, Karen Sebring, Dr. Thomas Molloy and Craig Molloy.