Wednesday, March 26, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Tears of sorrow at the funeral for former District Judge Addeliar Guy were mixed with the joys of remembrance and admiration of his dedication and accomplishments.
Tuesday's funeral procession at the Holy Family Catholic Church was led by a string of judges representing the federal bench and each of the court branches in Nevada.
Guy, who died Thursday at age 73, was the state's first black District Court judge and served more than 20 years before retiring in January 1996.
Gov. Bob Miller recalled how as a rookie prosecutor he was mentored by Guy in the Clark County district attorney's office.
Miller praised Guy as "one of the most admired men in our state's history, not because he was the first black district judge but for the way he encouraged young people of all races to excel in the field of law."
Former Gov. Mike O'Callaghan, who appointed Guy to the bench in 1975, called the judge a "man of the people ... who set the benchmark in life that we should all try to achieve."
"He was a man who successfully met the trials and tribulations of his generation ... and did everything he could do in a life," O'Callaghan said.
"He stood tall and made us proud to know him," O'Callaghan told the emotional crowd of nearly 800 at the church at Harmon Avenue and Mountain Vista Street.
State Sen. Joe Neal described Guy as a judge who strived for justice in a system that sometimes gave unfair results.
"Judge Guy found fairness and justice an elusive twin that constantly had to be pursued," Neal said. "He believed the role of the judiciary was to prevent unjust laws from reaching unjust conclusions."
District Judge Myron Leavitt, who was Guy's next-door neighbor in the Clark County Courthouse for more than 10 years, called him a "tough but compassionate judge."
He recalled that Guy once sentenced a man to 50 years in prison and the inmate complained, "There is no way I can ever serve that."
"Do the best you can," Guy responded.
Calling Guy a "trailblazer," Leavitt said the "community has lost a great public servant."
Guy served in the Army in Korea as a paratrooper and Ranger and received the Purple Heart and numerous other medals.
He graduated from Loyola University School of Law in 1957 and served as a deputy district attorney in Clark County from 1966 to 1975, the last two years as chief deputy district attorney.
During his life in Las Vegas, Guy was involved in numerous community organizations. The A.D. Guy Boys and Girls Club is named after him.
Guy, always a vocal advocate of education, established the Addeliar D. Guy III Law School Scholarship Fund administered by the National Bar Association.
To encourage art among high school students, Guy funded the "Spirit of Nevada" Art Contest beginning in 1989. The winning artwork is hanging throughout the courthouse.
Guy's replacement on the bench, District Judge Michael Douglas, has said he will continue the annual contest.
Guy is survived by his wife, A. Rosalyn Guy; sister, Autumn Keys-Ita of Las Vegas; two sons, Maj. Addeliar D. Guy IV of Fayetteville, N.C., and Michael Lawrence Guy of Las Vegas; one daughter, Dr. Pamela D. Guy-Anderson of Tuskegee, Ala.; and six grandsons.
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