Claibourne Watkins Patty, Jr.

Claibourne Watkins Patty, Jr. passed away on May 8, 2020, in Severna Park, Md., following a lengthy illness. Clay was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 19, 1934, to Eleanor Todd Patty of Montgomery, Ohio, and Claibourne Watkins Patty, Sr., of Little Rock. Clay and his parents moved from Cleveland to San Mateo, Calif., in 1936, then moved to Little Rock in 1947. Clay attended Little Rock High School, graduating in 1951, then attended The University of the South (Sewanee), graduating in 1955 with a degree in Political Science. Following the successful completion of his comprehensive exams, one of Clay's professors suggested he consider graduate school in political science. Clay replied, "No, thank you. I am tired of school, so I'll go home and register for the draft." Clay did not actually believe he would be drafted; he had been rejected by the Junior Air Force ROTC in high school due to his incredibly bad eyesight. Much to Clay's surprise, some physical shortcomings were overlooked at that time due to the low birthrate during the Great Depression. The Army optometrist commented, as he was making Clay's Army-issued eyeglasses, "These are the thickest lenses I ever made!" Following basic training, Clay served at a Nike Missile site in Washington State. The highlight of his short military career was participating in the All Army Rifle and Pistol Match, bad eyesight and all. Following his 1957 honorable discharge from the Army, Clay attended the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville, graduating in 1961. While there, he was an editor and business manager for the Arkansas Law Review, and an occasional student instructor in Professor Leflar's Conflict of Laws course. At the UA School of Law, he found both his life's work and lifelong friends (many of whom gladly piled into his large green Packard for law student outings). His employment included clerk for United States District Judge John Miller; private law practice with his longtime friend, Bill Henslee; chief attorney for the State of Arkansas Insurance Department; trust officer for Union National Bank; Executive Director for the Arkansas Institute for Continuing Legal Education (AICLE) and Assistant Dean of the then-UALR School of Law; clerk for the 2nd Division of the Chancery Court of Pulaski County; and, finally, a return to private practice, specializing in bankruptcy and estate planning. Near the conclusion of a career that lasted over 50 years, the Pulaski county Bar Association presented Clay with the 2014 Sidney S. McMath Professionalism Award, given to an attorney who consistently exemplified the highest ideals of integrity, honor, and civility, and whose polite and courteous demeanor reflect the highest levels of professionalism. In 1966, Clay met Barbara Benton on a blind date arranged by Richard Butler, Jr. Aware of Clay's thrifty tendencies, Richard felt compelled to remind Clay he needed to pay for Barbara's evening. The blind date went well enough that Barbara and Clay married in May, 1968, at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, and had sons Claibourne Watkins, III., in 1971 and William Jordan in 1975. While Clay's sons were growing up, the family enjoyed many weekends in Hot Springs and annual summer trips throughout the United States, during which time Clay would ignore both Barbara's directions and the fighting in the back seat of the family station wagon. Throughout his many decades in Little Rock, Clay was committed to his church and his community. Among his many activities, he served multiple terms on the Christ Episcopal Church Vestry; Chairman of the Board of the Pulaski County Legal Aid Bureau; President of the Family Services Agency of Central Arkansas; and was a longtime board member for the Good Shepherd Ecumenical Retirement Center. In the last 18 years of his life, Clay enjoyed his role as grandfather (or Baba, as he was called by his grandchildren). Following Barbara's death in 2014, Clay moved to Maryland to be closer to his sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. The constant activity of children and pets provided Clay with nonstop entertainment. Friends and family alike will miss the smart and funny man with a gift for storytelling. Clay is survived by his sons (and their wives), Clay, III (April) and Jordan (Julie); grandchildren, in order of birth, Eliza Kathryn, Nathaniel Claibourne, Eleanor Margaret, and Ethan Nicholas; brother-in-law William Evans Benton; and many beloved cousins. The family would like to thank Hospice of the Chesapeake for the excellent care provided to Clay in the last year of his life. The family will schedule a public funeral service at a later time. In lieu of flowers, Clay's family asks that memorials be made to the Christ Episcopal Church Endowment Fund (509 Scott Street, Little Rock, Ark., 72201), Hospice of the Chesapeake (https://www.hospicechesapeake.org/), or any other organization to which people are moved to give in honor of Clay's memory. Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.