JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Family and friends laid to rest Saturday the prominent Georgia attorney who drowned Sunday afternoon while trying to save his teenage son from strong rip currents in St. Simons Island.
Defense attorney Page Pate was very well known for his drive and humanity. During his funeral at the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, loved ones talked about how those characteristics translated to his life both in and out of the courtroom.
He was once called the Super Lawyer -- known around the world for his legal mind and sharpness in the courtroom. He represented people in courtrooms for more than 25 years. Pate was also a legal analyst for many television stations including News4JAX.
Many loved ones and friends shared stories and remarks about memories with Pate.
“I’m going to miss the man that had all the answers,” Jess Johnson, Pate’s law partner said. “I’m going to miss your never-ending energy and passion for this world.”
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He was the founding member of the Georgia Innocence Project. His partners said he truly had a passion for service.
“Anyone that knew him knew he was a generous man. But it wasn’t just generosity, Page wanted people to feel valued. He wanted people to feel like they mattered. When someone feels that way, they can go on to do incredible things -- and that was a special gift of his. He understood that and practiced that, that love and care deepened and transcended to his family. A man guided by faith, who will truly be missed,” Johnson said.
Another law partner also described him as a generous man who felt deeply for his clients.
“I believe the depths of [his] impact will soon give way to a more profound joy one day. A joy that comes from knowing Page’s life, the memories we have of him, and the pieces of Page that live on in all of us,” Tom Church, Pate’s law partner said.