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Family and colleagues remember Kent PI atty
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: January 17, 2017
A hard-working lawyer who valued equality and social justice—that’s how family and colleagues describe Kent attorney J. David Dyer.
The 70-year-old passed on Nov. 29, 2016, after losing his battle with a longstanding illness.
“My father valued honesty and exhibited integrity throughout his career,” said his oldest daughter Kathryn Dyer. “He was well respected by other attorneys, judges, family and friends.
“He was an amazing father,” said Kathryn, director of holistic defense at the Capital Area Private Defender Service in Austin, Texas. “He worked very hard but was always present for the important things in his family’s life. He wanted his children to have a better and easier life than he did.”
His niece Heather Johnston said Dyer was “proud of being an attorney. He enjoyed talking about his work.
“When I told him that I wanted to be a lawyer he was very supportive,” said Johnston, an attorney who works out of the Peninsula office of Phillips & Mille Co. “He talked to me about my goals and made sure I stayed on task.”
Born on Feb. 2, 1946 in Zanesville, Ohio to James Clarence and Virginia Maxine Dyer, he was the oldest of their five children.
His family later moved to Bakersville, Ohio in Coshocton County. After graduating from West Lafayette High School in 1964, Dyer enrolled at Kent State University, becoming the first person in his family to attend college.
His daughter Kathryn said Dyer worked his way through college, alternating his courses with time off to work on the railroads. She said his efforts to graduate college along with his family’s union organizing background are the reasons that he became an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War and a lifelong activist, participant and follower of Democratic politics.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in political science, Dyer began working toward his master’s degree in public administration at Kent State, while simultaneously pursuing a juris doctor from The University of Akron School of Law.
It was while studying for his master’s degree at Kent State that he met his wife Susan. They had two children, Kathryn and Ashley, divorcing about five years ago.
A sole practitioner in Kent his entire career, Dyer primarily handled personal injury cases. He was located on N. Water Street in one of two offices for most of his career.
“I have a lot of memories of spending time in his law office growing up,” said Kathryn. “When I was younger I would do my homework in his office. As my sister and I got older he hired us to help him with paperwork.
“He would let us sit behind his desk and we would pretend to lawyers,” she said. “My father inspired me to be a lawyer and to work with clients who can’t afford an attorney.”
She said his true passion was helping others navigate the legal system.
“If he were to describe himself in one word, it would undoubtedly be ‘lawyer,’” said Kathryn. “He loved his job and he never wanted to stop working. He had to retire about eight years ago because of his illness. Otherwise he would still be working. He never stopped talking about the law.
“My father was incredibly generous and compassionate,” said Kathryn. “He always tried to do what was right.”
Dyer’s former secretary Bridget Pavlick described him as a “good guy, who was always willing to think the best of people.
“He was a good attorney,” said Pavlick, who worked for Dyer in the early 1990s. “He was straightforward with all his clients about what they should expect or not expect.
“I learned a lot and it was a nice place to work,” said Pavlick, a legal secretary in the Giulitto Law Office in Ravenna. “I did not mind going to work in the morning.”
Portage County Municipal Court Judge Kevin Poland remembered Dyer as a “proud liberal.
“David was a character,” said Judge Poland. “He was very much a product of the 1960s.”
The two met when Judge Poland was an attorney. “David was a hard-working, courteous lawyer who fought hard for his clients. He also did a lot of pro bono work. He was very personable and always made time to laugh.”
When Dyer came before his court, Judge Poland said, “he was prepared, knowledgeable and did the best for his clients.”
“My uncle was a well respected lawyer,” said Johnston, who focuses on family and juvenile law. “Johnston is my married name but I initially practiced with my maiden name Dyer. I was often asked if I was related to David. People would tell me what a great guy he was.
“He came from a modest family, put himself through college by working on the railroads during breaks and was able to have a successful PI practice,” she said. “He was very involved in the community and true to the way he was raised. He was always willing to help anyone in need.”
Dyer’s daughter said her father was a fierce liberal who “walked his talk.”
She said Dyer was not only involved in politics he also donated money to the causes in which he believed.
Kathryn said Dyer loved live music, classic rock, hitchhiking across America and spicy food.
At many points in his life, he also sported long or relatively long hair.
“He really enjoyed travelling and he pushed my sister and I to travel to bigger and better places than he was able to go,” said Kathryn. “He enjoyed sharing all his passions with the people around him.”
A memorial paying tribute to the longtime Kent resident took place at Bissler & Sons Funeral Home in Kent on Dec. 1 2016.
Dyer is survived by his daughters Kathryn and Ashley; his grandson Blayke; his siblings Donna, Dennis, Diana and Drew; six nieces, one nephew and his ex-wife Susan.
His parents James and Maxine preceded him in death.