Samuel Perry Penland Sr.

PENLAND Samuel Perry Penland Sr. Age 76 September 1, 2002. Trial Attorney Extraordinaire and Devoted Husband. Combining a folksy style with a brilliant legal mind and an intuitive grasp of people, S. Perry Penland Sr. was one of the finest trial lawyers of his or any generation. He came to Jacksonville fresh out of Stetson Law School in 1950, and started his career by taking cases that other, more established lawyers deemed unworthy of their time. He always supported the underdog and the working man, and that never changed, even as fortune smiled on him and his hard work. To the end, he always provided for those in need of help who had nowhere else to turn. Born in Beach, a small town in the North Carolina hill country, Perry, as he was known, was the oldest of 6 children born to Samuel and Mary Penland. He attended high school in the nearest town that had one, Weaverville, North Carolina, and, in 1943, at age 17, joined the Navy. He served throughout the remainder of the war, and was a member of the Naval Underwater Demolition Corps. Upon leaving the service, in 1946, he went to work as a truck driver, and one day, while making a delivery at Mars Hill Junior College, he walked in and announced to the admissions director that he wished to enroll because he was going to be a lawyer. Although the admissions director informed him that the country also needed good truck drivers, Perry soon had him convinced and commenced studies, which he continued at Stetson Law School. Perry began practice in Jacksonville under E.K. McIlraith, and soon went to work for Walter "Wally" Shea, forming the nucleus of what was to become Shea and Penland. Perry then took the helm of what was known locally as the Penland Law Firm, practicing with local trial lawyers Daniel McCranie, Chuck Shad, later joined by Michael Seelie, Buddy Hooten and Eric Block. Through trials too numerous to count, winning multimillion dollar verdicts for his clients, Mr. Penland demonstrated a consistent ability to translate complex legal and technical issues to terms easily understandable to witness and juror alike. Throughout it all, he was also a lawyers lawyer, a man whose word was his bond and truth was his stock in trade. His legacy continues in the many lawyers he helped mold as mentor, partner, colleague and friend. Perry was a Master Mason, and a member of the Solomon Lodge No. 20, a 50-year member of the Florida Bar, and belonged to many organizations including the American Board of Trial Advocates, The American Trial Lawyers Association, The Florida Trial Lawyers Association and the Jacksonville Bar Association. Perry will be missed by his beloved wife, Barbara Blackner Penland, brothers Norman " Moon" Penland and John Penland, sister Ann Patrick, children Dr. Shea Penland of New Orleans, Perry Penland, Jr. of Jacksonville, Stephanie Blackner Schultz of Indiana, Leslie Gay Blackner of Palm Beach, grandchildren Kelsey Penland, Perry Penland, Caitlin Sullivan, Sarah Penland, Clayton Stone, Chas Schultz and Courtney Schultz, and cousins David Penland (and his wife Carole), Cynthia Penland, Rodney Penland and Tim Penland, and many other relatives and friends. There will be a visitation from 1-2 p.m., and funeral services will begin at 2 p.m., Wednesday, September 4, 2002, at Hardage-Giddens, 4115 Hendricks Avenue. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent in the name of Perry Penland to Alco Halfway House, 1120 Hubbard Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206. Please sign the Guestbook at Jacksonville.com