Wednesday, June 4, 1997 | 10:33 a.m.
Las Vegas Ambulatory Care Center for Veterans will be named for longtime District Judge Addeliar "Dell" Guy, Nevada's first black jurist who died March 20.
Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., sent a letter today to Veterans Affairs Secretary Jesse Brown recommending that the clinic at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Vegas Drive be named for Guy, a Coast Guard veteran of World War II and Army veteran of the Korean War.
The other three members of the Nevada congressional delegation support the naming of the center for Guy, a 33-year Las Vegas resident who also served in the Army Reserve and as a captain in the Nevada National Guard. He was 73 when he died following a lengthy bout with emphysema.
Guy served 20 years in the Eighth Judicial District Court and retired Jan. 12, 1996.
"Judge Guy is the epitome of a citizen soldier," said Bryan, who worked with Guy while serving in the Clark County district attorney's office.
"When his service in the military ended he immediately went to work serving his community. From the bench he meted out justice with fairness and understanding. Judge Guy's name and what he stood for will live on with the veterans outpatient clinic bearing his name."
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., noted that Guy served on his board for recommending young Nevadans for appointments to the nation's military academies.
"A decorated soldier, I depended on Judge Guy's ability to astutely access the character ... of young Nevadans seeking to lead our armed forces," Reid said.
"I am proud that his trademark honesty ... will live on in the hearts of thousands of Nevada veterans each time they enter the new Judge Addeliar 'Dell' Guy Las Vegas Ambulatory Care Center."
Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., noted that Guy, a Purple Heart recipient, was "dedicated to service to his country and family. He left behind a legacy of good work, service and wisdom."
Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said Guy "embodies the spirit of a true American patriot. (He) not only fought in battlefields far away, but also took his fight to the streets of Nevada's communities. His volunteer efforts with our children helped prevent individuals from becoming criminals."
The clinic will be dedicated July 2.
Born and raised in Chicago, Guy received his law degree from Loyola University School of Law there in 1957. He moved to Las Vegas in 1964.
Guy became the first black to practice law in the state. He later became the first black deputy district attorney in Clark County and the first chief deputy district attorney. When Department 11 of the Eighth Judicial District Court was created, then-Gov. Mike O'Callaghan appointed him to the post on June 27, 1975.
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