House Bill hb9085

    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HR 9085

        By Representatives Jennings and McGriff






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution honoring the memory of Steven C.

  3         O'Connell.

  4  

  5         WHEREAS, born January 22, 1916, in West Palm Beach, the

  6  Honorable Steven C. O'Connell led a life of adventure and

  7  achievement, remembered as a man exceeded in integrity by no

  8  one and matched by very few, quick with a quip and blunt with

  9  his opinion, yet renowned for his politeness and good manners,

10  and

11         WHEREAS, Stephen C. O'Connell attended the University

12  of Florida, where he was president of the student body and

13  captain of the boxing team and where he became a lifelong,

14  fiercely loyal Gator, who, according to former Florida State

15  University president Stanley Marshall, took great delight in

16  beating the Seminoles and "rubbing it in" when he did, and

17         WHEREAS, Stephen C. O'Connell rose to the rank of major

18  during World War II and returned home to run a successful law

19  practice in Fort Lauderdale until he was finally persuaded by

20  Governor LeRoy Collins to accept a Supreme Court appointment

21  in 1955, where he won a reputation for legal fairness and

22  scholarship, and

23         WHEREAS, the only person to lead both the state's

24  highest court and its largest university, Stephen C. O'Connell

25  remained on the Supreme Court until 1967, serving as chief

26  justice his final year, when he resigned to accept the

27  presidency of the University of Florida, a position he held

28  until 1973, the first alumnus of the school to become its

29  president, and

30         WHEREAS, Stephen C. O'Connell was the recipient of

31  innumerable awards and honors, among his favorites, doctorates

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2001                HR 9085

    770-112-01






  1  from Florida State University and the University of Notre Dame

  2  and his election to the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in Lake

  3  City, but the most notable of his honors are those in the

  4  memories of those whose lives he touched, as exemplified by

  5  the remark of his long-time friend, former Lieutenant Governor

  6  Wayne Mixson, "He was the kindest, most gentle man I ever

  7  met," NOW, THEREFORE,

  8  

  9  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

10  Florida:

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12         That the House of Representatives pauses in its

13  deliberations to honor the memory of a great man and

14  superlative statesman who served his state and nation with

15  distinction, the Honorable Stephen C. O'Connell.

16         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution

17  be presented to Mrs. Cindy Bowling O'Connell as a tangible

18  token of the sentiments expressed herein.

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