John R. Day

Family-Placed Obituary

JOHN R. DAY John Robert 'Jack' Day of Flat Rock, NC passed away Wednesday, April 9, 2008 after a protracted battle with cancer, a battle he faced with quiet conviction and characteristic optimism. He enjoyed the wonderful opportunities for breakfasts, tennis and solving global issues in discussion with friends at Dean's Market in Flat Rock. He was born January 2, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio to British-born parents, John Alwyn Day and Rachel Jones Day, and lived in Birmingham, MI and Madison, WI until moving with his family to Lake Worth, FL in 1935. His sister, Isabel Day Banks of South Miami, FL preceded him in death. He graduated from Lake Worth High School in 1940 and was awarded a full-time football scholarship to Oglethorpe University and a full-time academic scholarship to Antioch University, though chose to attend the University of Florida. He enlisted in the Army in 1942, rising to the rank First Lieutenant in the field artillery. He ended his military career serving as Liaison Pilot on General Mark Clark's staff in Vienna, Austria. Upon returning to the University of Florida in 1946, he enrolled in the famous law class of 1948, was a member of the University of Florida Review and graduated in 23 months. He began his legal career in Lake Worth in 1949 where he practiced until being invited to become a partner in the 100-lawyer international law firm of Shutts and Bowen. He practiced in West Palm Beach until retiring and moving to Flat Rock. While practicing law, he formed Peoples Saving and Loan Association, served as its president, then served as vice chairman of Duval Savings and Loan Association of Jacksonville, FL. He served in all offices of the Palm Beach Bar Association, including president the year the Association won three American Bar Association awards for excellence. He served as bar council to the Florida Bar, as chairman of the Bar's Grievance Committee, as chairman of the Bar's Probate Committee, and as a member of the Circuit Court Advisory Committee. During his career, he successfully appealed three cases to the Florida Supreme Court. In 1973, he was invited to be the Bar Register, being only one of six lawyers in Palm Beach County to be then listed in this prestigious publication. He lived in Palm Beach, was a member of the Sailfish Club of Florida, the Society of the Four Arts, the Palm Beach Sailing Club and the Old Port Yacht Club. He is the author of two books as well as a book of poetry. His last book, My Bahama Islands, was published in 2006 and has been endorsed by the editor of the Yachtsman's Guide to the Bahamas and the Bahamian Tourist Board as the book of importance. It details vignettes for 30 years of sailing in the Bahamas. He ocean-raced the SORC several times, sailed from Florida to Maine seven or eight times, and was watch captain on the Windward Passage sailing from Palm Beach to New Port, RI. He was invited to sail the last leg of the Round the World Whitbread race from Florida to England. He traveled extensively, visiting England seven or eight times, and South America where he met the president of Peru and the treasurers of Argentina and Brazil. He also toured China and East Africa. He was in Prague when the Berlin Wall came down, then traveled throughout Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia. He is survived by his wife, Carolyne Adams, an expert in real estate and condominium law and a member of the Florida and South Carolina Bar Associations; and children, Dr. Harlan R. Day of West Lafayette, IN, Melissa Day Hammock of Colorado Springs, CO, and Barbara Day Crossman of Nashville, TN. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The memorial service will be 3 pm Friday (TODAY) at St. John in the Wilderness. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given to St. John in the Wilderness Building Fund, P.O. Box 185, Flat Rock, NC 28731 or the Elizabeth House Hospice, 581 South Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC 28793. Interment will be in Lake Worth, FL at a date to be announced. To express condolences and/or make donations Visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries