PETER RICHARD PALERMO's Obituary
PALERMO
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Peter Richard Palermo (Retired)
June 15, 1918 - November 13, 2015
Peter Richard Palermo, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 15, 1918 passed away after a brief illness in Miami, Florida on November 13, 2015.
He was the son of Salvatore Palermo, who immigrated from Paternopoli, Italy in 1903 and Rose Scorza Palermo of Pittsburgh; the 5th of seven children. His brother Salvatore, and sisters Theresa Barber, Josephine Palermo, Anna Cullata, Rosemary Shaw and Delores Marinpetro predeceased him.
After graduation from high school he attended Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia in 1937. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.A. in 1941. After his military service in World War II he received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami in 1950.
He was drafted into the army six months before Pearl Harbor and worked as a clerk in Fort Benning, Georgia. On December 9, 1942 he switched to the Army Air Corp (Mediterranean Air Transport Service). His active service began near Oran, Algeria as part of Operation Torch. He received six bronze service stars for campaigns Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Air Combat Balkans, North Apennines, the Po Valley and Germany. He received a bronze star medal for meritorious service. He ended his military career as a captain at Camp Blanding, Florida.
After the war, while working on his law degree, he was elected mayor of the newly incorporated West Miami (1947) running on the promise to clean up the city. The area began to grow in 1946 as the wave of returning World War II veterans needed homes. West Miami was a rough town in the early years with gambling-happy bars. One of the worst was the Black Cat Bar. Mayor Palermo was able to close the infamous bar, when, after a long battle, the Florida Supreme Court upheld the suspension of the bar’s license. He served three one-year terms. In 1950 while still mayor he was appointed assistant to County Solicitor Robert Taylor. During his last term as mayor he presided over the dedication of West Miami’s first city hall at 901 SW 62nd Ave which is still used as the city hall to this day. Prior to this, the town clerk worked out of a room accessed through an adjacent laundry. For many years he was a partner in the firm Palermo and Connelly (John).
In 1971 he was sworn in as one of the first U.S. magistrate judges following the passage of the Federal Magistrates Act of 1968 which replaced the office of U.S. Commissioners. He was one of the longest serving U.S. magistrate judges; becoming a senior magistrate at the age of 80. He continued working until very recently. His portrait was presented in May 1997 and hangs in the U.S. Courthouse in Miami. As a magistrate judge one of his favorite jobs was swearing in new citizens. In 1984 he presided over a service for 10,000 and in 1986 for over 14,200, both held at the Orange Bowl. During the 17 years that he presided over these ceremonies, it is believed that he had sworn in well more than 200,000.
In 2006 he received the David W. Dyer Professionalism Award which is given annually to the lawyer or judge whose conduct most closely reflects and honors the integrity and professionalism of Judge Dyer. He received a Legal Legend Award in 2009 for his contributions to the legal system of South Florida. In 2011, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his exceptional dedication as a public servant.
He was a member of the Lions Club; the American Judicature Society; Justinian Society of Judges; the Federal Bar Association, Southern Florida Chapter; the Dade County Bar Association; League of Municipal Judges of Dade County; the Eleventh Circuit Historical Society; the Florida Judicial Historical Society; and the Peter Fay Inns of Court. He was a member of the Advisory Board of the Ethics Committee at the University of Miami. He has funded numerous law student scholarships.
He is survived by his sons Jeffrey (wife Paula) and Greg Palermo, two grandchildren Jon and Olivia Palermo, many nieces and nephews, and many close friends.
A memorial service will be held at Gesu Church in downtown Miami on December 11 at 12:10. He will have a military funeral at the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth; date not yet determined.
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