Roger Warin

Roger was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 14, 1945, to Roger Francis Warin and Mary (Gray) Warin. He later moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where he spent much of his youth. He attended Creighton Preparatory School and graduated cum laude from Creighton University in 1967. After moving to Washington, D.C., he earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1970.

In 1971, Roger joined Steptoe & Johnson LLP, beginning what would become a distinguished career as a trial lawyer spanning more than 55 years. He served as the firm’s Chairman of the Board for ten years, from 2003 to 2013. Throughout his career, Roger handled a broad range of complex commercial litigation, appearing in courts and trying cases throughout the country, as well as before various arbitral forums. He served as lead counsel for insurers in numerous major nationwide insurance coverage and reinsurance disputes and was recognized as one of the leading legal malpractice defense lawyers in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

Roger’s professional accomplishments earned him many honors, including election as a Fellow to the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and recognition as a Fellow of the American Bar Association. Beyond his practice, he devoted himself to public service and the legal profession. He served on the board of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs for 35 years and on the board of the Attorneys’ Liability Assurance Society, Inc., for ten years, including two years as chair.

In 1974, Roger married Diane Whyte, the love of his life, beginning a marriage that would span more than five decades. Together, they raised four children and built a family that was the center of Roger’s world. He took great joy in bringing everyone together, attending his grandchildren’s sporting events, and spending time with family in favorite places, including Rehoboth Beach and Juno Beach. He also loved to travel and delighted in sharing that passion with his family, creating treasured memories on trips to the national parks, throughout Europe, on ski vacations, and during special visits to Disney World and the Bahamas with his grandchildren.

Roger was cherished, admired, and deeply respected by all who had the privilege of knowing him. He was also the life of the party, with an infectious enthusiasm for life and a gift for making every gathering more fun. Whether sharing his beloved “flashy-blinky things” at a wedding, donning one of his many masks or costumes, displaying Dede’s favorite nutcrackers at the family’s annual holiday party, or simply sharing a laugh with friends and

loved ones, Roger brought joy, laughter, and a wonderful sense of fun to those around him. He had a remarkable ability to make ordinary moments memorable, and his warmth, humor, and zest for life will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.

Roger is survived by his beloved wife of 52 years, Diane Whyte Warin; his four children, Elizabeth Warin Thompson (Tom) of Falls Church, Virginia; Patricia Warin Matsko (Mike) of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; Roger Christopher Warin (Erin) of McLean, Virginia; and Michael Warin (Meghan) of Atlanta, Georgia; and his ten grandchildren, Mia, Abigail, Ryan, Luke, Brendan, Aspen, Addison, Owen, Katherine, and John. He is also survived by his brother, F. Joseph Warin (Julie) of McLean, Virginia; his sister-in-law, Colleen Warin of Omaha, Nebraska; sister-in-law Barbara Brereton (Rob) of La Canada, California; brother-in-law Lawrence Whyte (Carleen) of Wilmington, North Carolina; brother-in-law Robert Whyte (Nancy) of Lake Oconee, Georgia, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roger F. Warin and Mary A. Warin; his brother, Edward G. Warin; his parents-in-law, Joseph L. Whyte and Charlotte E. “Bunny” Whyte; and his grandchildren, Elizabeth Lane Warin and Patrick Joseph Warin.

A mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday, October 29 at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church (1315 36th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007).

In lieu of flowers, please consider a charitable donation to one of the following organizations that were important to Roger: Creighton University (https://bit.ly/4zFrgYW), Creighton Preparatory School (https://www.creightonprep.org/EdWarinScholarship), SOME (So Others Might Eat) (https://give.some.org/RogerWarin), Cancer Research Institute (https://fundraise.cancerresearch.org/RogerWarin), or National Parks Conservation Association (https://give.npca.org/RogerWarin).