THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 108 | SEPTEMBER 2024 Edwin D. Abel of Oklahoma City died June 18. He was born Feb. 1, 1942, in Okemah. He graduated from OU and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1966. In 1976, he founded the Abel Law Firm, formerly known as Abel, Musser, Sokolosky & Clark. Mr. Abel was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 8 years old, a condition that eventually robbed him of his eyesight. His fortitude led to an illustrious career wherein he broke records for obtaining the largest jury verdicts in several Oklahoma counties. He co-authored the Oklahoma Evidence Code, for which he received the Leo H. Whinery Distinguished Award. He was named Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association Member of the Year and inducted into the prestigious fellowship of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He was honored with the OBA John E. Shipp Award for Ethics and the Earl Sneed Award. He has long shared a reputation for working with young lawyers and was viewed by many as a mentor in the legal profession. He frequently taught at the OU College of Law and was elected by the OU College of Law faculty as an honorary member of the Order of Barristers. He even taught the public in his “Law and You” series, in which he answered common legal questions. He held various leadership roles and board positions with the Oklahoma Association for Justice, American Association for Justice, The Law and You Foundation, Oklahoma Lawyers for Children and MidAmerican Christian University. He served as president and director of the American Black and Tan Coon Hunters Association, was active in the Oklahoma Federation of Coonhunters and wrote a monthly column named “The Legal Hound.” He was also appointed by two governors to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission, which he served for more than 16 years. Memorial contributions may be made to Camp Sweeney, a camp for children with Type 1 diabetes. Howard K. Berry Jr. of Oklahoma City died May 15. He was born Oct. 8, 1931. Mr. Berry was a lifetime resident of Oklahoma City and a member of the St. Luke’s Methodist Church since he was 11. He graduated from Classen High School and OU, where he was a member of Sigma Nu. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a captain. Mr. Berry received his J.D. with honors from the OU College of Law in 1958 and later made a generous donation to the school in appreciation of the value of education he received. Upon his graduation, he joined his father, who taught him the art of jury selection and persuasion. In honor of his father, Mr. Berry established the Howard K. Berry Sr. Award, which is presented each year at the Oklahoma County Bar Association Law Day Luncheon. His career included serving as a jury trial lawyer and lecturing and publishing articles on jury persuasion. He also served as president of various organizations, including the Oklahoma Bar Foundation, the Oklahoma County Bar Association and the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association (now known as the Oklahoma Association for Justice). Mr. Berry was elected by his peers to serve on the Judicial Nominating Commission, where he became chairman, and was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Christopher David Blockcolski of Broken Arrow died Feb. 23. He was born June 3, 1979. Mr. Blockcolski graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business from Northeastern State University in 2001 and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 2004. He led a distinguished career representing the oil and gas industry with unwavering dedication, as well as exemplifying fairness and integrity while serving as the city judge for Holdenville. Barrett Thomas Bowers of Oklahoma City died May 5. He was born Sept. 16, 1985, in Oklahoma City. Mr. Bowers attended the University of Central Oklahoma and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 2011. He embarked on a successful career as a litigation attorney. Memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma Humane Society. Robert Olen Brooks Jr. of Pauls Valley died Aug. 8, 2023. He was born Feb. 12, 1955, in Wynnewood. He graduated from OSU with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and was a member of the school’s nationally recognized meat judging team. Mr. Brooks received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1982. He practiced for many years in Pauls Valley. George Robert Carpenter of Oklahoma City died July 5. He was born June 10, 1951, in Fort Moore, Georgia. He attended Oklahoma City Community College and received his J.D. with honors from the OU College of Law in 1991. Mr. Carpenter practiced in the areas of corporate law, wills and trusts. He had a In Memoriam
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