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Lorraine Power Tharp
1947 - 2008
105th President of the New York State Bar Association
A funeral service for Lorraine Power Tharp will be held on Saturday,
November 1, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. at Church of the Messiah, 296 Glen Street,
Glens Falls, New York. There will be no calling hours prior to the
service, but friends may visit with the family after the memorial Mass
in the Church Hall across the street from the Church. Burial will take
place in Massena, New York. Flowers may be sent directly to the church.
Contributions in memory of Lorraine may be made to any one of the
following organizations: New York Bar Foundation, 1 Elk Street, Albany,
NY 12207; Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, P.O. Box 3387, Saratoga
Springs, NY 12866; Saratoga Performing Arts Center, 108 Avenue of the
Pines, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Arrangements are under the direction
of Regan and Denny Funeral Home, Glens Falls.
Read
the full obituary.
Read
the NYSBA News Release.
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Media Coverage:
Attorney remembered for her leadership, Times
Union
Power Tharp, 60, who practiced in Albany, dies
By Carol DeMare
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Lorraine Power Tharp, a popular Albany
attorney and past president of the New York State Bar Association who
worked to elevate the legal profession and raise awareness of its social
responsibilities, died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. She was
60.
Tharp was the 105th president of the 74,000-member statewide bar in
2002-03, the third woman to hold the office at the nation's oldest and
largest voluntary bar association.
As president, she set her sights on improving ethnic, racial and
gender diversity in all levels of the judiciary; upgrading women in the
legal profession who were found to lag behind their male counterparts in
salaries, advancement and hourly billing rates; and creating a Special
Committee on Animals and the Law to focus on the humane treatment of
animals and to serve as a resource on animal issues.
"The legal community has lost not just a respected, but also a
much-loved leader, and I've lost a cherished friend," Albany City Court
Judge Rachel Kretser said. "She was wise, caring, compassionate, warm
and a role model to women in the profession and in the community. She
fought her disease with great courage, grace and dignity."
Tharp, Kretser and three other attorneys — Bernice Leber of New
York City, president of the bar association; Kate Madigan of Binghamton,
the recent past president; and Mimi Netter of Troy, a vice president, as
is Kretser — were friends who went to a health spa each year. They
did so in March.
An attorney for 35 years, Tharp, a Saratoga Springs resident, was a
partner with the Albany firm of Whiteman Osterman & Hanna.
Rich Leckerling, the firm's co-managing partner, said he will
remember Tharp's "infectious and irrepressible laugh. That laugh would
echo around the halls of the firm. She was an incredibly warm and caring
individual, incredibly dedicated to the profession, incredibly dedicated
to her community, incredibly dedicated to her colleagues and her clients
and probably above all to the legal community."
Tharp was a native of Massena, near the Canadian border, where her
father was district attorney of St. Lawrence County. She grew up knowing
she loved the law.
"Lorraine strongly believed that making a difference was not only her
calling, but the duty of every attorney," Leber said. "She once said
that every single lawyer has the ability to help someone and to solve
somebody's problem. Lorraine's legacy is her resounding belief that
every lawyer counts and that every person counts, and she lived every
day to pursue that higher calling."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Saratoga Springs lawyer Tharp dies at age 60, Daily
Gazette
Trailblazer was community figure
By Tatiana Zarnowski
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Lorraine Power Tharp, the third female
president of the New York State Bar Association and a leader of numerous
community boards, died Tuesday at home.
The 60-year-old Saratoga Springs resident had waged a three-year
battle with cancer, said her husband, Russell Tharp.
His wife was president of the state bar assocation from 2002 to 2003,
during which time she created a task force to boost diversity in the
judiciary, the Annual Meeting Presidential Summit and the Special
Committee on Animals and the Law.
Tharp also served in other leadership positions in the state and with
the American Bar Association, including when she spearheaded a sexual
harassment policy for law offices.
“She was so concerned about any living thing that
couldn’t take care of itself, be it animals or older people or
children,” Russell Tharp, also an attorney, said.
She was an unapologetic trailblazer, he said, as the first female
lawyer at McNamee Lochner Titus & Williams in New York City in
1978.
“People forget what it was like for women in those days,”
said her husband of 34 years. “She was more than willing to take
the job, take the risk and put up with a lot of stuff.”
Lorraine Power Tharp continued to advocate for women, urging Saratoga
County District Attorney James Murphy III to consider female assistant
district attorneys when he hires new people.
She most recently worked as a lawyer with the Albany firm Whiteman
Osterman & Hanna.
A Massena native and Saratoga Springs resident since 1980, she served
on the city Planning Board from 1992 to 2001 and numerous community
boards over the years.
Locally, she was known for her kindness and fairness.
People respected her as chairwoman of the Planning Board, a position
she held from 1995 until 2001, said Jeff Pfeil, president of Pfeil &
Co.
“She could really run a meeting well, and I was always so
amazed because it’s always easy to be too tough and mean if
you’re chairing a committee like that,” he said.
Tharp was friendly, but “if somebody was out of line, she would
immediately tell them they were out of line,” Pfeil said.
She was also open-minded.
During contentious discussions about whether a big-box store should
be allowed to open in the city’s gateway near Exit 15 about a
decade ago, Tharp asked Pfeil to explain his opposition to the
project.
“Lorraine actually came to me after the meeting … and she
said, ‘Jeff, I don’t understand why you’re so against
this. I’d like to understand your point of
view.’ ”
They had breakfast at Saratoga Race Course, which turned into an
annual tradition for Pfeil and Tharp, with both their spouses’
blessings.
“She was a land-use attorney, and she understood the issues and
understood zoning and had all this experience on the Planning Board that
just gave her a breadth of knowledge,” Pfeil said.
That knowledge was hard-fought, remembered Murphy, who served on the
Planning Board before he became district attorney.
“We sat next to each other and we would pass notes to each
other back and forth like sixth-graders, like, ‘Do you know what a
French drain is?’” Murphy recalled. “And we would meet
after the Planning Board and try to figure out what this whole process
meant.”
Bob Bristol, president of Saratoga Associates, was a newbie on the
Planning Board when Tharp was chairwoman.
“She was a great mentor,” he said. “She was so
bright, so capable, really understood the law.”
Tharp’s volunteer experience didn’t stop with the
Planning Board.
She served as commissioner on the state Racing Commission and on the
Saratoga Performing Arts Center’s board, the city’s 2002
Comprehensive Plan Review Committee, the Empire State College Foundation
board and the Saratoga Hospital Board of Trustees.
“She was on so many boards and commissions not for herself but
to really do good in the organization she was volunteering for,”
Murphy said.
Tharp was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, Russell Tharp
said.
After a remission from Christmas 2006 until the fall of 2007, the
cancer spread to her brain.
“Every treatment she had she reacted worse than any patient any
of the doctors had had,” Tharp said.
Marcia White, SPAC president and executive director, said Lorraine
Power Tharp brought her elderly mother to see Elvis Costello and the
Police at SPAC this summer, though Tharp was obviously ill.
“She faced the challenges of life, and especially her last and
greatest challenge, head on,” White said.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Church of the
Messiah, 296 Glen St., Glens Falls, the church where the Tharps married.
There will be no calling hours prior to the service, but friends may
visit with the family after the memorial Mass in the Church Hall across
Glen Street from the church. Tharp will be buried in Massena.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Obituary: Lorraine Power Tharp, NY Law Journal
Lorraine Power Tharp, a past president of the New York State Bar
Association, died yesterday of breast cancer. She was 60.
The third woman to lead the state bar, Ms. Tharp served as the
group's 105th president in 2002-03. During her term, she formed the Task
Force on Increasing Diversity in the Judiciary, the Annual Meeting
Presidential Summit and the Special Committee on Animals and the
Law.
At the time of her death, Ms. Tharp was a partner at Whiteman
Osterman & Hanna, where she chaired the commercial and residential
real estate practice.
Bernice K. Leber, the bar group's current president, said in a
statement that Ms. Tharp's "lasting contributions to the practice of law
included working to obtain an increase in the assigned counsel fee rate,
supporting adequate funding for civil legal services and spearheading
the creation of a cutting-edge sexual harassment policy for law
offices."
Prior to her presidency, Ms. Tharp served three years on the
association's executive committee and a four-year term as the group's
secretary. She also chaired the Real Property Section in 1998-1999 and
assisted in drafting the association's report and model policy on sexual
harassment as a member of the Committee on Women in the Law.
A native of Massena, St. Lawrence County, Ms. Tharp graduated from
Smith College and Cornell Law School.
She began her legal career at Wickes, Riddell, Bloomer, Jacobi &
McGuire, which later merged into Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.
After becoming the first woman partner at the Albany firm of McNamee
Lochner Titus & Williams in 1981, Ms. Tharp joined Whiteman
Osterman, where she specialized in banking and finance and commercial
and residential real estate matters.
In addition to her private practice, she held several volunteer
leadership positions, including commissioner of the New York State
Racing Commission, chair of the Board of the New York State Thoroughbred
Breeding and Development Fund Corporation, vice chair and trustee of
Saratoga Hospital, and chair of the Saratoga Springs Planning Board.
Frequently recognized for her achievements, Ms. Tharp was the
recipient of the 2003 Kate Stoneman Award from Albany Law School and the
New York County Lawyers' Association's Outstanding Women of the Bar
honor in 2004.
Ms. Tharp is survived by her husband of 34 years, Russell; her
mother; and a sister.
Funeral service will be held Saturday at 3 p.m. at Church of the
Messiah, 296 Glen St., Glens Falls.
Contributions in memory of Ms. Tharp can be made to: New York Bar
Foundation, 1 Elk St., Albany, 12207; the Thoroughbred Retirement
Foundation, P.O. Box 3387, Saratoga Springs, 12866; or the Saratoga
Performing Arts Center, 108 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs,
12866.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Popular community leader Tharp dies, The
Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS - Community leader and attorney Lorraine Power Tharp
passed away peacefully at home Oct. 28, 2008, at the age of 60.
Ms. Tharp was well-known for her volunteer leadership of many arts,
health and equine-related organizations, as well as for her years of
service to the New York State Bar Association. Her genuine sense of
caring for others, her infectious smile and her extraordinary commitment
to serve her community and her profession will be missed by all who knew
her.
Ms. Tharp was president of the 74,000-member New York State Bar
Association from 2002 to 2003, having also served as president-elect and
chair of the association's House of Delegates.
At the time of her death, she held numerous volunteer leadership
positions serving her community and her profession. She was a
commissioner of the New York State Racing Commission, and the first
woman to serve on the commission; chair of the Board of the New York
State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund Corporation; and one of
the members of the Third Judicial District Independent Judicial Election
Qualification Commission, part of the statewide network for screening
judicial candidates.
She was the vice chair and a trustee of Saratoga Hospital, a member
of the board of directors of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, a
trustee of The Hyde Collection, a trustee and secretary of the Board of
the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame; a member of the board of
the Empire State College Foundation and a member of the board of the
Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
Ms. Tharp's commitment to community extends over many years, having
served as chair of the City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board, and on
the boards of directors of Equinox, Leadership Saratoga, Saratoga County
Arts Council and Home Made Theater. She assisted in fundraising efforts
for many organizations, including Skidmore College and Smith
College.
Every day, Ms. Tharp talked about how blessed she was, with a devoted
husband and family of whom she was extremely proud; for her wide circle
of friends and for the enjoyment and fun of working with a myriad of
organizations and people to make her community and her profession better
for others in the present and the future. She touched and inspired all
who knew her and enriched the lives of countless individuals.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
State Bar Mourns Passing of Ex-President, Brooklyn Daily
Eagle
NEW YORK– The New York State Bar Association released the
following statement yesterday regarding the death of Lorraine Power
Tharp, 60, who served as the third female president of the NYSBA. Her
initiatives included gender equity, diversity in the judiciary, civil
legal services funding and animal law.
It is with great sadness and a deep sense of loss that we mourn the
passing of Lorraine Power Tharp, the association’s 105th President
and the third woman to lead the state bar.
Compassionate, warm, and wise beyond her years, Tharp exemplified the
best of the legal profession and unfailing service to society. From
working to increase diversity in the profession and in the ranks of
state bar leadership, to fostering gender equity in the legal field,
from serving as a role model for the profession, to raising awareness of
the care and ethical treatment of animals that the profession owed, she
worked tirelessly to give a voice to those who did not have one.
“Lorraine strongly believed that making a difference was not
only her calling, but the duty of every attorney,” said President
Bernice K. Leber. “She once said that every single lawyer has the
ability to help someone and to solve somebody’s problem.
Lorraine’s legacy is her resounding belief that every lawyer
counts and that every person counts, and she lived every day to pursue
that higher calling. Her lasting contributions to the practice of law
include working to obtain an increase in the assigned counsel fee rate,
supporting adequate funding for civil legal services and spearheading
the creation of a cutting-edge sexual harassment policy for law
offices.”
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LORRAINE POWER THARP, 60, Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE -- Lorraine Power Tharp, of Saratoga Springs,
N.Y., a native Staten Islander, trailblazing attorney, and former
president of the New York State Bar Association, died Tuesday at home.
She was 60.
Born Lorraine Power in Grymes Hill, she was reared in Massena, N.Y.,
and settled in Saratoga Springs 28 years ago.
A graduate of Smith College, Northampton, Mass., she went on to earn
a law degree from Cornell Law School, Ithaca, N.Y.
Ms. Tharp began her legal career as the first female associate
attorney with the Manhattan firm of Wickes, Riddell, Bloomer, Jacobi
& McGuire, which later became Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.
She later worked for the firm of McNamee Lochner Titus and Williams
in Albany, again as the first female associate.
At the time of her death, Ms. Tharp was a partner in the firm of
Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP in Albany, where she served as
chairwoman of the firm's real estate practice group.
Ms. Tharp served as president of the 74,000-member New York State Bar
Association from 2002 until 2003, and also served as president-elect and
chairwoman of the Association's House of Delegates.
She was honored in 2004 by the New York County Lawyers' Association
as one of the "Outstanding Women of the Bar."
Most recently she was honored by the state Bar Association's Special
Committee on Animals and the Law, a committee she founded, for her
vision in recognizing the role that animals play in all walks of life,
and the importance of fostering a society that is humane not only to
animals but also to the people who value them.
Outside of her career, Ms. Tharp was an active volunteer, and served
with a variety of community and professional groups, including Saratoga
Hospital, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and the National Museum
of Racing and Hall of Fame.
Ms. Tharp touched and inspired all who knew her and enriched the
lives of countless individuals. Her genuine sense of caring for others,
her infectious smile and her extraordinary commitment to serve her
community and her profession, will be missed by all who knew her.
Surviving are her husband of 34 years, Russell; her mother, Oske
Power, and a sister, Alison Power.
The funeral will be tomorrow at 3 p.m. in the Church of the Messiah,
Glens Falls, N.Y. Arrangements are being handled by Regan and Denny
Funeral Home, Glens Falls.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Attorney
Lorraine Power Tharp, 60, Glens Falls, formerly of Massena, Watertown
Daily News
MASSENA
— Attorney Lorraine Power Tharp, 60, Glens Falls,
formerly of Massena, died Tuesday at her home.
A funeral
Mass will be said at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Church of the
Messiah, Glens
Falls. Burial will be in
Massena.
There are
no calling hours prior to the service. A reception will follow in the
church hall across the street from the church. Arrangements are with
Regan and Denny Funeral Home, Glens
Falls.
Flowers may be
sent directly to the church. Donations may be made to New York Bar
Foundation, 1 Elk St., Albany, N.Y. 12207; Thoroughbred Retirement
Foundation, P.O. Box 3387, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 12866; Saratoga
Performing Arts Center, 108 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
12866.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tharp memorial
service set for Nov. 1, The Business Review (Albany)
Lorraine Power Tharp, a pioneering area attorney and former head of the
state bar association, will be memorialized tomorrow at a service in
Glens Falls.
Tharp died from cancer on Oct. 28 at age 60. She was a partner at
Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna LLP in Albany, heading the firm's
commercial and residential real estate practice.
Tharp was born in Staten Island and raised in Massena, a town near the
Canadian border in St. Lawrence County. After graduation from Cornell
University, she became the first female associate attorney at the New
York City law firm Wickes, Riddell, Bloomer, Jacobi & McGuire, which
has since merged into another law firm.
She then moved to the Capital Region and became the first female
associate at McNamee, Lochner, Titus and Williams P.C. in Albany. She
ended her career at the Whiteman firm.
"Her genuine sense of caring for others, her infectious smile and her
extraordinary commitment to serve her community and her profession will
be missed by all who knew her," the firm said in a statement on its Web
site. "Tharp touched and inspired all who knew her."
From 2002-03, Tharp served as president of the New York State Bar
Association, which, with 74,000 members, is the largest voluntary bar in
the nation. At the time, she was the third woman to lead the bar in its
132-year history.
For years, Tharp was active on area boards and commissions, including a
time as chairwoman of the Saratoga Springs planning board and as
commissioner of the New York State Racing Commission.
Tharp is survived by her husband, Russell, who also is an attorney. She
is also survived by her mother, Oske Power, and her sister, Alison
Power.
A funeral service will be held tomorrow at 3 p.m. at the Church of the
Messiah in Glens Falls. Burial will take place in Massena.
Contributions in Tharp's memory can be made to several
organizations:
o the New York Bar Foundation, 1 Elk St., Albany, 12207;
o the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, P.O. Box 3387, Saratoga
Springs, 12866;
o the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, 108 Avenue of the Pines, Saratoga
Springs, 12866.
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