JOHN VARDAMAN

1940 - 2020

VARDAMAN John W. Vardaman, Jr. April 22, 1940-September 23, 2020 John "Jack" Wesley Vardaman, Jr. had every reason in the world to see himself in grandiose terms. He rose from Anniston, Alabama, a town of fewer than 30,000 at the time, to attend Harvard Law School, clerk for Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, argue and win a landmark case in the Supreme Court, lead one of the most prominent law firms in the country, play amateur golf at a championship level, serve in leading roles in multiple organizations and institutions, and even see his caricature adorn the wall at the Palm Restaurant next to U.S. Presidents, movie stars and other Washington notables. But while he often moved in heady circles, Jack was equally comfortable enjoying his morning coffee with the local crowd at the Sunoco gas station in Hot Springs, Virginia. He enjoyed competing at the highest levels of golf but was just as happy hitting range balls with his grandchildren and passing his love for golf on to the next generation. Despite ascending to the highest echelon of the worlds of law and golf, Jack never allowed his considerable accomplishments to affect a character defined by grace, generosity, and humility. Jack's passing will be mourned by all those who had the good fortune to encounter him. In 1958, Jack left Anniston to attend Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia where he captained the golf team and led it to numerous victories. While at W&L, Jack visited The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia for the first time. Thus began a special connection with The Homestead and Hot Springs that would figure prominently throughout his life. After graduating from college in 1962, Jack reluctantly put aside his golf aspirations to pursue a career in the law. He attended Harvard Law School, and in 1965, moved to Washington, D.C. to clerk at the U.S. Supreme Court for fellow Alabamian, Justice Hugo Black. Following his clerkship, Jack stayed in Washington to establish his legal career. In 1970, Edward Bennett Williams, the leading lawyer of his day, convinced Jack to join the then fledgling firm of Williams & Connolly. Jack thrived under Williams' tutelage, including, at the young age of 31, winning a landmark Supreme Court case, Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe, which is still taught in law schools and cited as precedent to this day. Over the next 40 years, until his retirement in 2015, Jack was a leading litigation attorney and mentor to young attorneys at Williams & Connolly. When Edward Bennett Williams died in 1988, Jack played an instrumental role in preserving his legacy and helping the firm survive and thrive to become one of the leading litigation firms in the country. Despite the demands of a successful legal career, after an extended hiatus Jack returned to the game of golf and picked up where he left off in college, quickly establishing himself as one of the best players in the Washington, D.C. area. On four occasions he qualified for the U.S. Senior Open, a remarkable achievement for an amateur player. A longtime member of Congressional Country Club, Jack won multiple club championships and competed in team matches alongside fellow accomplished players and dear friends. Jack was a three-time winner of the Middle Atlantic Senior Amateur, two-time winner of the Washington Metropolitan Senior Championships, and won countless other tournaments across the country. As recently as 2018, Jack won the Virginia State Golf Association Super Senior Stroke Play Championship at the age of 78. The respect for Jack's wise counsel and sound judgment was not limited to the legal profession. Jack served senior roles in numerous organizations and institutions that knew they were in the best of hands with him leading the way. Jack served as Chairman and Chairman Emeritus of the First Tee Program of Washington, where he worked tirelessly to bring the game of golf to thousands of children in the D.C. area for 20 years. For 10 years, Jack served as Chairman of the Board of Gonzaga College High School, where two of his sons, John and Davis, attended high school. Jack also served as a member of the Executive Committee and General Counsel of the United States Golf Association. Most recently, Jack was playing a leading role in preparing for the 2021 Walker Cup golf competition at his beloved Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida. Over the years, the Homestead and Hot Springs became a second home for Jack and his family. Jack proposed to his wife, Marianne, on their fourth date after a weekend there, and together they would establish a special connection with the Hot Springs community. In 1995, Jack and Marianne purchased Malvern Hall, an historic mansion in Hot Springs, and restored it to its original beauty. More than any of his professional or personal achievements, Jack derived the most pleasure from family gatherings at Malvern Hall and festive dinners in its majestic dining room. Ever aware of his good fortune, Jack constantly gave back to the communities to which he belonged. In 2000, Jack and Marianne established the Vardaman Family Foundation Scholarship to provide financial assistance to students in Hot Springs, Virginia and help them achieve their dream of a college education. To date, the scholarship has provided over $400,000 to deserving students, 17 of whom have gone on to earn their college degree. In a recent local newspaper article commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Vardaman Family Scholarship, Jack said, "This is the most important investment I've ever made." While Jack was always humble about his own accomplishments, he took great pride in the achievement and character of the Vardaman scholarship recipients. Hard as it may be to believe, Jack did all of these things while raising a family of four. Christmas was Jack's favorite time of year when he could watch his grandchildren open their gifts and revel in the holiday season. He would always say that his family, not golf or the law, was his greatest legacy. Jack is survived by his daughter, Shannon Faucette, and son-in-law Jeff of Oakland, California, son Thomas Kane and daughter-in-law Erika of Portland, Oregon, son John Vardaman III and daughter-in-law Samantha of Washington, D.C. and son Davis Vardaman and daughter-in-law Clare of Denver, Colorado, and grandchildren Arielle Kane, Noah Kane, Rachel Kane, Adam Kane, Gavin Faucette, Caroline Faucette, Patrick Faucette, Finn Pfeifer, Rowan Vardaman, Leo Vardaman, Mary Vardaman and John "Jack" Vardaman IV. He is preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Marianne, who died in 2014. Due to Covid concerns, a private family service will be held in Our Lady Chapel at Gonzaga College High School officiated by dear friend Rev. Stephen W. Planning, SJ. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Tee of Greater Washington, DC (firstteedc.org).Due to Covid concerns, a private family service will be held in Our Lady Chapel at Gonzaga College High School officiated by dear friend Rev. Stephen W. Planning, SJ. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Tee of Greater Washington, DC (firstteedc.org).