Huel Love funeral
Saturday
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An era in the history of Funeral will be Saturday at A native of In addition to practicing law since 1949, he served
as an Alabama State Bar Commissioner for two terms, and was a member of the
American Trial Lawyers Association for 50 years. He was active in Boy Scout
Troop 130, a founding member of Attorney Ralph Gaines began practicing law in "We had a lot of cases against one
another," Gaines said. "He would file lawsuits and I would defend
them. We tried cases in "Years ago," Gaines said, "our oldest
daughter was burned in a fire, pretty severely. He was the first one to call
as soon as he heard about it. He even offered to give her blood if he had the
right type and if she needed it. That's the kind of man he was." Attorney Rod Giddens had a similar story. "He
called me when I was sick last year, on Christmas Day. He told me he was
counting his blessings, and that I was one of them. I had a long talk with
him in the office, after I came back to work. I told him I loved him, and he
said he loved me, too. He said he was tired, but he kept going." "When I was a young prosecutor," Giddens
continued, "he was defending a case in front of Judge (Bill) Sullivan,
and I had done voir dire examination of the jurors. When Sullivan asked for
questions from the defense, Love said he didn't have any,
they'd just take the first 12. I thought, uh-oh, what am I up against here.
And I would have given anything to be able to see him 40 years ago. He was a
special man. And you could talk to him about anything, legal or personal, and
know that it would be kept in confidence." Talladega County Presiding Circuit Judge Julian King
characterized Love as "an excellent attorney and a treasured friend. It
was always a pleasure to interact with him in the legal community. When I was
a young attorney, he always took the time to give advice, not just to me but
to anyone who was beginning their career. He was always a gentleman, and his
heart was as big as the "I had a civil docket call a couple of weeks
ago," King said, "on what happened to be his 82nd birthday. There
must have been 200, maybe 250 lawyers in there that sang happy birthday to
him. When I saw him yesterday, he was in the hallway, just having come down
from District Court, and I mentioned that I hoped we would be singing to him
again next year. He told me he was going to live to be 100, just like his
mama had. "I know he's up there in heaven now, with Judge
Sullivan, and they're both having a big laugh." Former Circuit Judge Jerry Fielding said he had
"lost a personal friend, and a man for whom I had a great deal of
respect. He was a legend in the legal community, always very diligent in
representing his clients at all times. He was always polite and respectful.
He will be missed not only in the legal community, but in the broader
community as well. He was a true friend, and an outstanding lawyer." Talladega County Bar Commissioner Blake Lazenby said
he was "devastated by the news. He was timeless, and he would do
whatever he could to selflessly help and advise young lawyers." Lazenby succeeded Love as bar commissioner.
"When his tenure ended, our county grievance commission was about to be
disbanded by the state. He continued to work very hard with me on that, and
we were eventually able to get it tabled. But he always made me feel I could
come to him with anything. If I had a problem, as a lawyer or bar commissioner,
I know he would drop whatever he was doing to help me." Talladega County District Attorney Steve Giddens
said he "could go on for hours about what he meant to me. He was a
friend of my family growing up. I went to kindergarten with his daughter, I've known him that long. And I have never known
a finer man. I worked with him, went to church with him, went to golf
tournaments with him in "Once in church," he continued, "he
told me he just wanted a little corner of Heaven. I know he got that. He was
an example of what young lawyers should aspire to be, and he will be missed
by many." Love is survived by his wife, Betty C. Love of
Talladega; five daughters, Alice Fay Love of Birmingham, Virginia Paige Smith
of Atlanta, Carla Ann Tinney of Talladega; D. Leigh Love of Helena, and Julie
Love Templeton of Tuscaloosa; four sons, Fred. F. Ledbetter Jr. of
Birmingham, Huel M. Love Jr. of Talladega, the Rev. John Hugh Love of
Talladega and Jason L. Love of Nashville; one sister, Edna Pitts; one nephew,
Huel "Jimmy" Pitts of San Antonio, Texas; 13 grandchildren, Latisha
Ledbetter, Colton Ledbetter, Cortney Smith, Huel M. "Tres" Love
III, Zachary Cotton Love, Joshua Tony, Jason Tony, Jerry Whitten Jr., Heather
Molsbee, Jackie Strickland, Tyler Love, Melissa Love and Caleb Love; and nine
great-grandchildren. Active pallbearers will be his grandsons and
great-grandsons. Honorary pallbearers will be the Talladega County
Bar Association, Lyndol Bolton, L.M. Veazey Jr., Harold Howell, Alfred C.
Mitchell, Joe Mitchell, Charlie Jackson Sr., and Charlie Jackson Jr. The family will receive friends Friday at Usrey
Funeral Home in |