Law Practice
Jul. 23, 2002
Good Work Ethic Distinguished Civil Litigator
PALM SPRINGS - Services have taken place for Ray R. Goldie, who owned an appliance store before earning a reputation as a respected civil litigation practitioner in San Bernardino and Palm Springs. Goldie died July 7 of heart failure at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. He was 82.
"He was a guy that I'd say epitomized the essence of a good, old-fashioned work ethic," said Richard Beswick, a San Bernardino attorney who faced off against Goldie in family law and civil litigation matters in the 1960s and 1970s.
"He was one of those people who absolutely distinguished himself by hard work, a sense of toughness and a wonderful enjoyment for the practice of law and the beauty of being involved in the best parts of the adversary system," Beswick said.
"He was a tough opponent, but you always knew he'd be straight with you and always fight the fairest of fights," Beswick added.
Goldie, a native of Dayton, Ohio, was 34 and married with four children when he decided to become a lawyer. Goldie, who didn't have a bachelor's degree, was admitted to law school as a provisional student.
He was among the top 10 percent in his class and was associate editor of the law review at USC's law school when he graduated in 1957.
Goldie summed up his reason for abandoning a lucrative appliance business to obtain a law degree in a personal essay published in the law school's alumni magazine.
"Law school was the richest and most rewarding experience of my life," he wrote.
After graduation, Goldie worked for a year in the California attorney general's office. He then launched a San Bernardino practice with fellow USC law graduate, Marcus Kaufman, who later would become an associate justice of the California Supreme Court. The pair operated a civil and criminal practice.
In 1986, Goldie retired from general practice and moved his office to Palm Springs, where he concentrated on business transactions, estate planning, probate and trust law.
In later years, Goldie and his wife, Dorothy, continued to support USC Law School, financially, donating generously for scholarship endowments.
"He endowed the school with millions of dollars," Beswick said, "He really wanted to see the essence of good lawyering live on as his legacy."
Besides his wife, Goldie is survived by a son, Ron Goldie - a Los Angeles attorney - daughters, Marilyn, Deanne and Dale; and five grandchildren.
Jason Armstrong & Sean Windle
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