Tribute to a statesman
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on April 17, 2016 1:45 AM
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Lindsay Warren as a state senator in the 1960s.
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Lindsay Warren with his daughters Adrienne Northington, Emily McNair and Grace Johnston at Christmas in 2011
Lindsay Warren, a true Renaissance man, passed away last week at the age of 91.
Warren, a legend in the legal community, was an attorney who led the commission that created the modern-day North Carolina court system. As a state senator and history buff, he was chosen to lead the state's celebration of its 400th anniversary.
A native of Washington, N.C., Warren decided to practice law in Goldsboro and upon his death, plaudits came in from across the state.
"Lindsay Warren was one of the great men who built North Carolina," said former Gov. Jim Hunt. "He, in a sense, created our current court system. He worked very hard to create a good, fair system and get it passed through the legislature and later, as chairman of the courts commission, was a watchdog of the courts and their work.
"Every lawyer in North Carolina knew of and admired Lindsay Warren," Hunt said. "Later on, I had a special relationship with him. On the 400th anniversary of our state, he led the commission that observed the occasion. He was a superb lawyer and was looked up to by every lawyer in North Carolina.
"Lindsay led by example. He was a natural leader and had the ability to be the calm in the storm, to build a consensus."
"Lindsay's leadership skills and dedication to the law led to our current court system," said Judge Robert Rader, chief district court judge in Wake County. "It is ironic that he passed as we celebrate the 50th year of our unified court system in the state, which Lindsay was instrumental in creating."
"He was really an extraordinary person," said Goldsboro businessman David Weil. "Wayne County was very fortunate that Lindsay Warren chose to practice law here. He was a leader in every way, serving his community, his profession and the state. His manner was quiet and thoughtful. A true diplomat, he could solve most problems by developing a consensus.
"I first met Lindsay in the late 1950s, when he and his firm represented our family business. Over 60 years of association, he always provided good advice and was both an adviser and a friend. I will miss him."
"Lindsay was one of this community's great citizens," said former News-Argus editor Gene Price. "He was one of the most respected members of the state Senate."
Price, who served for a time as an aide to Congressman Herbert C. Bonner, recalled a time when Warren served as an intern in the congressman's office.
"The congressman was to deliver a speech on the occasion of Coast Guard Day," Price said. "Lindsay wrote the speech for him. The Washington newspaper commented that it was the greatest speech Mr. Bonner ever delivered. Lindsay pleaded with me not to show that editorial to Mr. Bonner, which, of course, I did. Needless to say, Lindsay was embarrassed, but Mr. Bonner was highly pleased."
Goldsboro businessman Ed Borden was a good friend of Warren's.
"There's no doubt that we've lost another great North Carolina statesman with the death of Lindsay Warren," Borden said. "He was a close friend of mine ever since he arrived in Goldsboro and was legal counsel for our business. He was always reliable and diligent and had a friendly way of working with people. He was a leader in the Presbyterian Church and in the state Senate. He will certainly be missed by all, but he left a legacy that will be part of our history for years to come.
"Everybody seemed to know him, and the legal community revered him for his advice."
"Lindsay loved his family, his church and the University of North Carolina," said Goldsboro attorney Borden Parker. "He was a brilliant attorney. None here was more respected. He was a valued public servant and really the father of North Carolina's current legal system. He was also a dear friend."
Warren was a historian at heart, which Gov. Hunt said was why he chose him to lead the state's 400th anniversary commission. The governor recalled making a trip to England with Warren and other members of the commission on the anniversary of the departure of the first ship to reach the shores of what is now North Carolina. They were also at Manteo several months later to observe the anniversary of the ship's arrival.
Warren was the son of Congressman Lindsay Carter Warren, who was known as the "Lion of Beaufort." The elder Warren also served in the state Senate and was later named the Comptroller General of the United States, what is now know as the General Accounting Office.
Mount Olive businessman Bill Bryan said Warren served on his company's board of directors for more than 20 years and as its legal counsel for far longer that that.
"Lindsay was always gracious and dignified," Bryan said. "I recall a negotiating session that we had with another company in the 1990s. That company was represented by two attorneys and a paralegal from a large law firm. We had Lindsay. When the session ended, Lindsay had negotiated for all our key points and had gotten the other law firm to agree to do all the legal work, and best of all, Lindsay had them thinking it was all their idea when they left.
"He was very calm, very collected, very thoughtful in his approach to dealing with people," Bryan said. "He was very effective and a good mentor. He was a good friend."
Warren's quiet nature took a back seat only when his beloved Tar Heels were playing ball, family members recalled. On those occasions the son of the "Lion of Beaufort" showed his bloodline.
"He was a man of the old school," Hunt said, "a person of great character and honesty."