Volume 14, Issue 3
Summer 2003
Senior
Lawyer News
A Remembrance
James E. "Jimmy"
Edmunds
James E. "Jimmy" Edmunds, one of Halifax, Virginia's finest attorneys for
over 60 years, died on March 17, 2003 at the age of 87. Jimmy held high offices
and received many awards for his service and accomplishments, but retained
a gentle, unassuming attitude, always showing interest in and respect for
everyone he met. Jimmy was a "blue blood" from the old Halifax aristocracy
with those special "southern gentleman" manners of which his mama would have
been proud. At the same time, he had a causal manner when asking a farm worker
about his children or when popping peanuts into his mouth from the handfuls
that filled his pockets each morning.
In 1980, Jimmy took an associate who worked with him for 15 years. "The key to a successful law practice," he advised young Bill Watson, was, "to stay in the office and keep your shoes shined." Watson recalls that when he joined the firm, the office had no dictating equipment, computers or faxes; used carbon paper and had a one line rotary telephone. But Jimmy Edmunds won most of his cases through preparation and his personal hard work. When chided about the long hours and over-abundance of charts and diagrams he had made for an easy case, Jimmy responded, "Our clients deserve it." He had a pride in his work and a concern for people that made him a role model to his fellow lawyers.
Jimmy Edmunds was an important civic leader throughout his life. He served as a member of the Halifax Board of Supervisors from 1967 to 1983. He was a trustee, founding member and past president of the Halifax Regional Hospital, and lifetime member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Halifax.
Born and raised in Halifax County, Jimmy attended public school and then Virginia Episcopal School and later the University of Virginia, where he graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1938 and from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1942. While in college, Jimmy played basketball for the university, lettering three times and serving as captain for his last three years. He was president of both the student body and O.D.K., a national leadership society. After his death, it was revealed that Jimmy was a member of the prestigious "Secret Seven Society" at UVA, which recognizes students at the university who have made major contributions to the academic community.
Jimmy was something of a gentleman farmer, also, and enjoyed his huge English boxwoods and fruit trees. He was generous with both, distributing baskets of peaches, apples and grapes during the season and sharing boxwoods that he sprouted in the creek bed. Going the extra mile was Jimmy's trademark. Not only did he offer the boxwoods when he noticed a deficit in someone's landscaping, but he planted them as well.
Jimmy was a credit to our profession in so many ways.
Carol B. Gravitt
Halifax, Virginia