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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly July 1998
ANDREW WILLIS BIRDSONG, JR. * Ex '46
30 Jan 1925 - 6 Jun 1998 * Died in Atlanta, GA * Interred in
the family plot at the Birdsong farm near La Grange, GA |
ANDREW WILLIS BIRDSONG, JR. was known to his friends
and associates as Buck. Born and raised in La Grange, GA, he
graduated from La Grange High School in 1942. After attending
Marion Military Institute in Marion, AL, Buck entered West Point
on 1 July with the Class of 1946. Unable to complete his time
at the Academy, Buck entered the Army and became a Sergeant in
the Combat Engineers. When WWII was over, he returned to GA and
gained his LLB from the University of GA in 1951. He married
Elizabeth Cliatt in Columbus, GA on 16 September 1948.
Buck returned to his hometown of La Grange to enter private practice.
He practiced trial law in La Grange for 26 years. He was appointed
as the Juvenile Judge of his county in 1958, becoming the youngest
Juvenile Judge in Georgia. For the 18 years he held this position,
he accepted no pay raises, instead using the money to hire probation
officers. He also instituted the practice of using college students
as part time probation officers.
In 1977, Buck was appointed to the GA State Court of Appeals.
He was Chief Judge of that Court from 1987-1988 and a Presiding
Judge from 1984 until his death. He had planned to retire in
1998 to enjoy his family and his hobbies. He particularly wanted
to play even more golf, his favorite pastime. He was selected
as the 1998 recipient of the State Bar of Georgia's Award of
Excellence. Ironically, he learned that he was to get the award
just before his death but did not live to receive it. Buck died
from a stroke on 6 June 1998 in a hospital in Atlanta, GA.
His wife, Elizabeth; three daughters, Nancy, Elizabeth and Katherine
and four grandchildren survive him.
When Buck Birdsong died, the Governor of GA ordered state flags
flown at half-staff. That was just a small indication of the
respect he had from all who knew him. He was remembered as one
of the strongest judges on the court with a strong personality
and strong beliefs. He was thought of as a judge leaning neither
left nor right with the ability to cut through the legal jargon.
He was cautious and disciplined about the exercise of power.
His presence was overpowering and his zeal was unmatched, but
his will to win never compromised his integrity or his courteous
manner. He had the ability to simplify even the most complicated
issues and bring them quickly into focus. A colleague said that
Buck's profound mind and penetrating wit afforded the catalyst
that reconciled the court's legal differences. His personal motto
was "Not for ourselves but others." He always lived
his motto and it became a good summary of his life. One constant
in Buck's life was his often stated love and pride for West Point
which had such a great influence on his life.
His long time friend and colleague on the Court of Appeals, Judge
Edward H. Johnson made the posthumous presentation of the 1998
Tradition of Excellence Award to Buck. Some of his remarks included:
"A man can possess such strong character that he can enrich
the lives of all that knew him. I and my colleagues on the Court
of Appeals genuinely feel sorry for anyone who did not know Presiding
Judge Buck Birdsong as we were privileged to know him. He was
a judge who never lost sight of the fact that he was a public
servant with a heavy responsibility, working as part of a team.
He brought to his task a moral code that rarely, if ever, made
room for shades of gray. Buck's outrage when he saw an injustice
was something to behold, and something to admire. His most frequent
question was, 'But is it fair?' One of our colleagues, Judge
J. D. Smith, summed up Buck: 'Buck is the kind of judge I want
to be when I grow up!' Buck loved his friends and his family
with all of his very big heart. He was unfailingly kind and was
as generous in his praise for others as he was stingy with his
criticism."
His daughter, Kay, recalled: "My father was the most honorable,
intensely loyal and fair man I've ever known. He led by example.
He always made time for his family and always made his family
top priority. He was generous in every sense of the word to all
people."
Judge Edward H. Johnson remembered: " Buck loved West Point
and he certainly exemplified the motto "Duty, Honor, Country."
To the remembrances of his family and friends, the Class of 1946
is pleased to add these words that would mean so much to Buck:
"Well Done, Buck; Be Thou At Peace!"
'46 MEMORIAL ARTICLE PROJECT AND HIS FAMILY
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