The Oklahoma Bar Journal October 2024

I n M emoriam

J oseph T. Acquaviva Jr. of Oklahoma City died Sept. 11. He was born May 25, 1959. He graduated from Long Island University with a bachelor's degree in 1984 and received his J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 1986. Mr. Acquaviva was a partner at the law firm of Wilson, Cain & Acquaviva and was admit ted to all Oklahoma district and federal courts and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. He was also a member of the Oklahoma County Bar Association and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. In 2017, he was inducted into the Oklahoma section of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. S andra Jeane Alexander of Tulsa died July 18. She was born Dec. 5, 1950, in Tulsa. Ms. Alexander received her J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1976. Memorial contributions may be made to Planned Parenthood Great Plains in Tulsa. T alor Michelle Black of Edmond died Aug. 28. She was born Sept. 5, 1989. She grew up in Edmond, graduated from Edmond Santa Fe High School and attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Ms. Black received her J.D. from the OCU School of Law in 2019. A rthur Wayne Breeland of Dallas died Aug. 9. He was born Sept. 9, 1930. He graduated from TU and received his J.D. from the OU College of Law in 1954. Mr. Breeland practiced oil and gas law and celebrated his 70th anniversary with the OBA this

J ohn K. Lindsey of Guthrie died Aug. 18. He was born Aug. 19, 1958, in Tahlequah. He graduated from Tahlequah High School in 1976 and starred in Where the Red Fern Grows during his sophomore year. Mr. Lindsey studied the prerequisites for a criminal justice program at Northeastern State University while working as cam pus security, an officer with the Westville Police Department and, finally, the assistant chief of police at the Vian Police Department. He graduated from OU with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1978. After completing the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Academy, he served as a trooper with the Motor Vehicle Courtesy Patrol Unit for four years. While in the field, he attended the OCU School of Law and received his J.D. in 1983. He then transferred to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Legal Division, where he worked as a deputy gen eral counsel and general counsel before retiring with honorable recognition for his 40 years of service with the department in 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma State Troopers Foundation. G eorgiana T. Peterson of Oklahoma City died Aug. 28. She was born July 11, 1950, in Waurika. She graduated from OU with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1975 and worked full time as a hospital nurse until 1983, when she graduated from the OU College of Law. She practiced in Oklahoma City, with a focus on personal injury defense.

year. He served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and retired as a colonel from the Army Reserve. Memorial contributions may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. T homas S. Evans of Stillwater died Aug. 28. He was born May 15, 1958, in Faribault, Minnesota. Mr. Evans gradu ated from Bethlehem Academy High School in 1976 and studied sociology and criminal justice at the University of Minnesota. He interned with the Supreme Court of Oklahoma in 1982 and received his J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1983. The majority of his career was focused on personal injury and nursing home negligence. In 1998, he ran for the position of judge for the 8th Judicial District and enjoyed campaigning and participating in the political process. He moved his law firm, Evans Law Center, out of the Security Bank Building in Ponca City to East Grand Avenue when the opportunity to restore a dilapidated building presented itself. He was proud to be a part of the Ponca City downtown resto ration project and gave back to the community in any way he could. He retired in 2023. G ail Willoughby Harris of Tulsa died Aug. 8. She was born Feb. 8, 1937. Ms. Harris graduated from Ada High School and received her J.D. from the TU College of Law in 1984. She worked as an attorney before being appointed as a special judge and later as a district judge. Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Tulsa.

70 | OCTOBER 2024

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL