Glasgow Daily Times
GLASGOW —
Dear Editor,
In 1957, Judge Elbert Tuttle of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals addressed the commencement exercise at Emory University, the contents of which are epitomized by our late friend, Henry Dickinson.
I quote a portion of Judge Tuttle’s remarks:
“The professional man is in essence one who provides services. But the service he renders is something more than that of the laborer, even the skilled laborer. It is a service that wells up from the entire complex of his personality … in a very real sense his professional service cannot be separate from his personal being. He has no goods to sell, no land to till; his only asset is himself. It turns out that there is no right price for service, for what is a share of a man worth? If he does not contain the quality of integrity he is worthless. If he does, he is priceless. The value is either nothing or it is infinite.”
Henry Dickinson was infinitely priceless.
Henry Dickinson was my friend from the time he began the practice of law in 1959 until his very untimely death. The legal profession and judiciary in Kentucky grieves with his family in his passing.
Henry distinguished himself as a lawyer and a judge. Indeed, he was the best of best when on the bench — never condescending, always kind and understanding of the lawyers and litigants who appeared before him. I appreciated Henry’s deference to my frailties as a lawyer, as did other lawyers similarly situated. Many have so expressed to me. He understood human nature much better than most and dealt with it with insight.
Not only professionally, but as a person, Henry was a man of compassion and consideration for other folks. He was always smiling and jovial, which he caused to spread among those around him.
Henry is missed.
Jim Secrest Sr.
Attorney at Law
Scottsville
