A MEMORIAL TO JUDGE MANNY CRESPO BY JUDGE LEONARD GLICK

A FRIEND IS NOT WITH US TODAY

JUDGE MANNY CRESPO WAS
A FRIEND IN THE TRUEST SENSE OF THE WORD.

MORE THAN JUST A HUSBAND
MORE THAN JUST A FATHER
MORE THAN JUST A DOTING GRANDFATHER
MORE THAN JUST A BROTHER
MORE THAN JUST A COLLEGUE TO THE 100 PLUS COUNTY, CIRCUIT JUDGES AND APPELATE JUDGES.
MORE THAN JUST A BOSS TO HIS JUDICIAL ASSISTANT
MORE THAN JUST “THE JUDGE” TO THE COURT REPORTERS, CLERKS, CORRECTION OFFICERS, POLICE OFFICERS AND LAWYERS THAT WORKED WITH HIM.
MORE THAN JUST THE CONSUMATE PUBLIC SERVANT TO THE MILLIONS OF CITIZENS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

MANNY WAS ALL OF THESE THINGS, IT’S TRUE, BUT ABOVE ALL, TO ALL OF THE ABOVE, HE WAS A FRIEND.

A FRIEND WHO KNEW WHAT THE WORD LOYALTY MEANT AND PRACTICED IT.

AN UNCONDITIONAL FRIEND WHO DID NOT KNOW THE MEANING OF THE WORD NO! ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU, ALWAYS READY TO HELP, GENEROUS TO A FAULT.

SOME OF US TOOK ADVANTAGE OF OUR FRIEND'S GENEROSITY, BUT HE DIDN’T CARE. HE NEVER EXPECTED REPAYMENT.
HE DID THINGS FOR HIS FRIENDS BECAUSE HE LOVED US…..
AS MUCH AS WE LOVED HIM.

HE CARED ABOUT EVERYBODY, TALKED TO EVERYBODY, RELATED TO EVERYBODY, MEN AND WOMEN, …. MAINTENANCE WORKERS, CLEANING STAFF, SUPPORT STAFF, BAILIFFS, POLICE OFFICERS, LAWYERS, JUDGES, POLITICIANS, THE RICH AND FAMOUS.

A DOWN TO EARTH GUY.
A MAN WHO LOVED BEING A JUDGE AND WASN’T CAUGHT UP IN THE AURA OF SELF-IMPORTANCE.

HE LOVED BEING A JUDGE AND DOING THE JOB, DAY, NIGHT, DAY AND NIGHT, LATE INTO THE NIGHT AND WEEKENDS.
HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GONE 24/7 IF HIS WIFE, SUSI, WOULD LET HIM.
MANNY WAS A TIRELESS PUBLIC SERVANT WHO ALWAYS GAVE 120%.

MANNY ALWAYS TRIED TO DO THE RIGHT THING EVEN IF IT WASN’T ALWAYS THE POPULAR THING.
HE MADE THE TOUGH CALLS THAT AFFECTED PEOPLES LIVES AND WHETHER YOU AGREED WITH THE DECISION OR NOT YOU ALWAYS KNEW YOU GOT A FAIR SHAKE.

THINK ABOUT IT! HAVE YOU EVER SPOKEN TO ANYONE WHO HAD A BAD WORD TO SAY ABOUT MANNY?

EVERYONE OF US HAS A “CRESPO” STORY THAT WE LOVE TO TELL AND RE-TELL. SOME ARE FUNNY SOME ARE LESS FUNNY.

WE WENT TO HIM FOR COUNSEL ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS:
POLITICAL ISSUES
PERSONAL PROBLEMS
LEGAL STRATEGIES
HE ALWAYS MADE TIME FOR US AND GIVE US HIS BEST ADVICE.

MANY OF US HAD THE CHANCE TO SHARE IN HIS PASSION, WORLD HISTORY, ESPECIALLY THE HISTORY OF WAR.
HE WANTED US TO KNOW WHAT HE KNEW SO WE WOULD APPRECIATE WHAT THAT GENERATION ENDURED AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR SACRIFICES…..
HE WAS MORE THAN A STUDENT OF MILITARY HISTORY, HE WAS “THE PROFESSOR” AND WE WERE HIS STUDENTS.

I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO TRAVEL AROUND THE GLOBE WITH HIM TO FAR FLUNG BATTLE FIELDS IN EUROPE AND THE CENTRAL PACIFIC.

TRIPS TO ENGLAND FOR THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN……LAST MARCH TO SAIPAN, TINIAN, GUAM AND IWO JIMA.

THE TRAVEL WAS GRUELING, FLIGHT TIMES WERE LONG, BUT THERE WAS NEVER A COMPLAINT FROM MANNY, NEVER A DELAY BECAUSE OF MANNY. HE WAS LIKE THE ENERGIZER BUNNY…HE JUST KEPT ON GOING!!
HIS INDOMINATABLE SPIRIT AND ENERGY LEFT YOUNGER PEOPLE IN OUR GROUP IN AWE.

WE LIVED THOSE EVENTS AT THESE 60 YEAR OLD PLUS BATTLEFIELDS BECAUSE HE MADE THEM COME ALIVE WITH HIS INEXHAUSTIBLE FUND OF KNOWLEDGE.

THIS IS HIS LEGACY

A HUSBAND, A FATHER, A GRANDFATHER, A BROTHER, A BOSS, A JUDGE, A COLLEAGUE, A TEACHER…………….YOUR FRIEND.

JUDGES, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WHO WORK IN THE CRIMINAL DIVISION, LITERALLY, AT TIMES, HAVE THE POWER OVER LIFE AND DEATH IN OUR HANDS.

IN SPITE OF OUR POWERS NO ONE OF US CAN BRING THE DEAD BACK TO LIFE. NOTHING CAN BRING THE DEPARTED BACK TO LIFE……..
……..EXCEPT
MEMORIES

SO PROMISE YOURSELF TO:

REMEMBER HIM

SPEAK OF HIS LIFE OFTEN

TELL THOSE “ CRESPO” STORIES

BY KEEPING HIS MEMORY ALIVE,
YOU - HIS FRIENDS - BRING HIM
BACK TO LIFE AND ALLOW HIM TO LIVE FOREVER.



IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE KNOWN HIM

IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE WORKED WITH HIM

IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE WALKED WITH HIM

IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE LEARNED FROM HIM


HE WILL BE MISSED, BUT IF YOU KEEP YOUR PROMISE

HE WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN


Judge Leonard Glick
1/10/06