The Oklahoma Bar Journal March 2024
name to support a scholarship at the OU College of Law, payable to the OU Foundation. R obert Alan Ravitz of Oklahoma City died Jan. 23. He was born July 15, 1952, in Miami, Florida. He graduated from the University of Colorado and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1977. After law school, he worked in the Oklahoma County Public Defender’s Office, eventually becoming the chief public defender. Mr. Ravitz was also an adjunct professor at the OCU School of Law, teaching trial practice, capital litigation and criminal procedure. He was known for being an outspo ken advocate for criminal justice reform. He was honored with the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Clarence Darrow Award, the OCU School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award and the Oklahoma City Association of Black Lawyers Opio Toure Champion of Justice Award, among others. He was also involved with Oklahoma Lawyers for Children, the Oklahoma County Drug Court, Community Sentencing and Court Services, Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma and more, most of which he served in leadership positions. H enry Peter Rheinberger of Clearwater, Florida, died Sept. 19, 2023. He was born March 3, 1933, in Tulsa. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law. Mr. Rheinberger practiced real estate law at Crowe & Dunlevy from 1961 until his retire ment in 2018.
legal career and accomplishments were almost exclusively devoted to complex oil and gas disputes. Memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. V irginia Suzanne Palmer of Yukon died Jan. 2. She was born Dec. 4, 1944, in Oklahoma City. She graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma, where she was a member of Pi Delta Epsilon, and from OU with a master’s degree in history. She received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1979. Ms. Palmer worked in private practice with her husband for more than 44 years. She served as an officer of Oklahoma Citizens for Animals and founded Volunteers for Animal Welfare. F enton R. Ramey of Yukon died Jan. 12. He was born May 12, 1935. He graduated from OU in 1957, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta. Mr. Ramey received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1959. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a first lieu tenant and agent for the Office of Special Investigations. During his career, he practiced law in Yukon and served as assistant county attorney for Canadian County. He also served as a district judge for Canadian and Oklahoma counties and was a member of the OBA Board of Governors, the Board of Bar Examiners and the Oklahoma Crime Commission. Additionally, he served as an adjunct professor at the OCU School of Law and Redlands Community College and as city attorney for Yukon, Mustang and Piedmont. He prac ticed law for 61 years. Memorial contributions may be made in his
the American Judicature Society. He also served as president of the Southern Oklahoma Legal Institute and on numerous OBA commit tees. Mr. Miller was a municipal attorney for Ravia, Mannsville, Oakland, McBride and Mill Creek and a Madill municipal judge for 12 years. He was active in organi zations including the First United Methodist Church, Lake Texoma United Ministry, Madill Lions Club and Boy Scouts of America, and he served in various leadership posi tions, including president, deputy district director and zone chairman of the Madill Lions Club and chairman of the Madill Salvation Army. He was also honored with the Silver Beaver Award. G regory A. McKenzie of Oklahoma City died June 24. He was born Dec. 15, 1947, in Champaign, Illinois. He graduated from OU, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and served as president of the Oklahoma Kappa chapter in 1969. He received his J.D. from the George Washington University Law School in 1972 and began his legal career as the deputy defender general and dep uty attorney general for Vermont. Upon returning to Oklahoma in 1981, he joined his father in practic ing oil and gas law at the Watson & McKenzie Law Firm. He then founded and served as principal at the law firm of McKenzie, Moffett, Elias & Books from 1987 to 1997 and later represented himself at Gregory A. McKenzie PC from 1997 to 2014. Mr. McKenzie con cluded his career as of counsel in the Oklahoma City office of Crowe & Dunlevy as a member of the Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Practice Group. His 40-year-long
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THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL
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