Shelby Highsmith

Judge Shelby Highsmith passed away surrounded by family at his home in Ft. Belvoir, Va., on December 2, 2015. Judge Highsmith was born in Jacksonville, Fla., January 31, 1929, to Edna Mae Phillips Highsmith and Isaac Shelby Highsmith. He attended Georgia Military College, graduating in 1948. He was commissioned into the U.S. Army at nineteen as a Second Lieutenant and served in Korea with the First Cavalry Division. He received the Bronze Star Medal, seven Battle Stars, a Presidential Unit Citation, a Korean Presidential Citation and attained the rank of Captain.

After his military service, Judge Highsmith attended the University of Kansas City studying in a dual program that allowed him to graduate in 1958 receiving both his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor. Honors received include Outstanding Law Senior, Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities, Omicron Delta Kappa, Bench and Robe Honor Society and Torch and Scroll Honor Society.

Judge Highsmith moved to Miami in 1958 and engaged in trial practice as an attorney.He also served as special counsel to then Gov. Claude Kirk's War on Crime Program as well as special counsel to the Florida Racing Commission. He was a member of Florida Inter-Agency Law Enforcement Council which ultimately resulted in the creation of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

In 1970, Judge Highsmith was appointed a Circuit Court Judge for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit where he served until 1975 when he resigned to resume trial practice as senior member of the law firm of Highsmith, Strauss and Nelson. He is a biographee in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. In 1998 Judge Highsmith received the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Law Award from the U. of Missouri. He was a Judicial Fellow of The International Society of Barristers. In 1991, Judge Highsmith was nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida by President George Bush where he served until 2008.

Judge Highsmith had a special appreciation for law enforcement, the difficult role police officers faced daily, and aided many of them pro bono

while in private practice. That appreciation included a special affection for the U. S. Marshals Service that served the U. S. District Court and he received special recognition from them upon leaving the bench.

Outside the courtroom, Judge Highsmith was an avid golfer and fisherman who enjoyed boating week-ends in the Keys with his family and golf and hiking at the family summer home at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club in Highlands, N.C. One of his thrills was making a hole-in-one on the Club's 17th hole, right in front of his home there. He was an avid football fan, adopting U. of Miami and University of Notre Dame, his wife's and his son's alma maters. The bright spot in recent days has been grandson, Samuel Edward Highsmith.

Judge Highsmith is survived by his wife of 43 years, Mary Jane; son, Dr. Shelby Highsmith, Jr., daughter-in-law Jessica Rapisarda and grandson Samuel Edward; daughter, Holly Highsmith Abrams; sister, Violet Sheller, sister-in-law Bertie DeWitt, brother-and sister-in-law Judge and Mrs. Peter T. Fay, sisters-in-law Mrs. William A. Cann and Mrs. Edward F. Zimmerman and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by brothers Sanford Highsmith and William DeWitt.

Services and interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.