Harry Cashin Jr.

1933 - 2015

ATLANTA, Ga. - Prominent attorney and former Atlanta Bar and Atlanta Lawyers Club President, Harry L. Cashin, Jr., passed away on December 3, 2015 at his home in Atlanta at the age of 82. He was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia, where he graduated with high honors from Boys' Catholic High School. He entered college life at the University of Georgia, and began a lifelong loyal association with the University, its law school, and the "Bull Dogs". He obtained his BBA degree in 1955 and graduated from law school in 1959. Between college and law school, he served on active duty in the U.S. Navy as a courier officer in Taipei, Taiwan, and as communications officer on a destroyer escort in the North Atlantic. While at Georgia, he was president of the Phi Kappa Literary Society, the Phi Delta Phi Legal fraternity, and the Pi Kappa Alpha social fraternity. He was president of the UGA student council and achieved numerous campus honors, including Omicron Delta Kappa, Gridiron Secret Society and Order of the Greek Horsemen. He was admitted to the Bar in Atlanta in 1959 and became a successful and highly respected trial lawyer. He was senior partner of several Atlanta law firms, the last being Cashin and Morton. He was "Of Counsel" to the Vinings firm of Wilson Brock & Irby from 1998 until he crossed over the bar. He served as president of the Lawyers Club of Atlanta (1972), the Atlanta Bar Association (1975) the Old Warhorse Lawyers Club (1988), the Advocates Club (1997) and the Atlanta Bar Foundation. He was the only lawyer in Atlanta Bar history at that time to be elected by his peers as president of both the Atlanta Bar Association and the Lawyers Club of Atlanta. He was awarded the Atlanta Bar's prestigious Leadership Award in 1995 in recognition of his extensive service and loyalty to his profession. He has been a member of the State Bar of Georgia for over 50 years and served as chairman of several of its committees and its Senior Lawyer Section. He was awarded the State Bar of Georgia Distinguished Service Award and the Tradition of Excellence Award from the General Trial Section of the State Bar in 1994. He also held membership in the Georgia Bar Foundation and served as a longtime member and chairman of the Georgia Constitutional Judicial Qualifications Commission. He was an emeritus member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the International Society of Barristers. He was a member and president of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, (1979) which declared him to be "a matchless energetic force in legal circles". He was a longtime member of the American Association For Justice and served as a member of its Board of Governors. He was involved in over 130 appearances before the appellate courts of this state and tried a multitude of cases all over the state. During his long and successful career, it was frequently suggested that he could have been a fine trial judge; however, he was far too busy practicing law, being a father to four children, hunting quail in South Georgia, golfing at the Atlanta Athletic Club, and just doing things for and with people and the community, to leave the bar for the bench. He was a member of the Atlanta Athletic Club for over 55 years and served on its Board of Directors (1973 to 1976). He was the longtime club parliamentarian and a member and former secretary of the club's golfing group known as the "Duffers". He was also a member of the Georgia Seniors Golf Association. Harry Cashin was very active in numerous civic activities being a former president of the Pershing Point Toastmasters, the Roxboro Valley Civic Association and the Pine Hills Civic Association. He was past Grand Knight of Atlanta Council 660 of the Knights of Columbus, and a member of its fourth degree. He was also President of the Pi Kappa Alpha Alumni Association and the Sierra Club of Atlanta. He has been a member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church for over 45 years and served as chairman of its finance committee and numerous other committees of the church. The many awards accorded him reflect his high character, integrity and essence of professionalism, and his lifelong devotion to his family, the law, the community and the public good. Having kissed the Blarney Stone in County Cork, he was a long time member and President of the Hiberian Benevolent Society and served many years as a Parade Marshal for the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. That he is Irish is undisputed; because his life was full of Irish luck, the greatest of which is his marriage of 55 years to the former Peggy Deiters. They were blessed with three daughters, Kelly Cashin Rowley of Marietta, her husband, Bob, and her two children, Ryan and David; Courtney Cashin Hale of Atlanta, her husband, Bill and their three children, William, Connor and Carley; Caroline Cashin Koenraad of Atlanta, her husband, Ronald and their two children, Hannah and Joe; and one son, Harry L. "Chip" Cashin, III of Ponte Vedra, Florida, his wife, Anne and their three children, Cody, Katie and Kylie. He is preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Louise Cashin of Augusta, GA and his brother, Eugene O'Connor Cashin, of North Augusta, South Carolina. He is also survived by Gene's wife, Marcia and their three daughters, Tana, Kearny and Kate. A distinguished lawyer friend once toasted his epitaph: "He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world is mad". There were good times and there were bad times, while he was here, it was the good times that we will all remember. The family will be receiving friends at H.M. Patterson and Son Funeral Home, 173 Allen Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328, on Sunday, December 6, 2015 from 3 to 5 pm. A Funeral Mass will be at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Monday, December 7, 2015 at 10:30 am with a reception to follow at the church. Monsignor Edward J. Dillon will officiate and all are welcome to attend and celebrate Harry's life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home, 760 Pollard Blvd., SW, Atlanta, GA 30315, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 4465 Northside Drive, NW, Atlanta, GA 30327 or a charity of your choice.