Maurice Wagner Goldstein

Maurice W. “Maury” Goldstein passed away peacefully at home on July 4. Born in Jacksonville on July 22 1911, he was almost 104 years old and had looked forward to celebrating with family and friends at his favorite restaurant, as he had for the last three years.

Maury graduated from Robert E. Lee High School and the University of Florida. Upon receiving his law degree from UF in 1935, he returned to Jacksonville and practiced law until World War II. During WWII he served as lieutenant in the US Navy on multiple ships in the Atlantic and Pacific, including the SS Haym Salomon and USS Oconto.

After the war he returned to Jacksonville to again practice law, joined later by his brother, S. William “Bill” Goldstein. They practiced together in downtown Jacksonville until they retired in 2002, when Maury was 91 and Bill was 79, because, as Maury quipped, most of their clients had died. The brothers were well known in the Jacksonville legal community for their courtesy to judges and their fellow attorneys, knowledge of and respect for the law, and their good humor.

At the time of his retirement, Maury was the oldest attorney still litigating in Florida courts. He was also an avid golfer until the age of 98 and assisted in the formation of the former Beauclerc Country Club.

Maury was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He is survived by his wife Hilda, with whom he recently celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary; two daughters, Evelyn (Charles) Moskovitz and Martha (Jack) Killeen; four grandchildren, Todd (Melissa) Wahnish, Tillie (Sam) Venus, David Moskovitz, and Elizabeth (Mark) Brite; four great-grandchildren, Shaman and Maurice Venus and Ben and Roxanne Brite. His brothers Earl “Allie” and Bill predeceased him.

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, July 6, at two o’clock in the afternoon at the New Center Cemetery (43rd and Liberty Streets). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jacksonville Jewish Center, Hadassah, Community Hospice or River Garden. HARDAGE-GIDDENS, THE OAKLAWN CHAPEL, 4801 San Jose Boulevard is serving the family.