John Patrick "Pat" Cremin, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, cousin and uncle to a large extended family, prominent Tulsa attorney and good friend to many, passed away in his sleep the night of Wednesday, February 6, 2019. It was a shock to all who knew him, especially for those around him as he recovered nicely from knee replacement surgery two days prior.

Pat was Tulsa born and bred: born on a chilly November 18, 1944 morning in Tulsa's Saint John's Hospital and raised by his parents the late James and Margaret Grace Cremin with four brothers and two sisters in a house with a large reservoir of love at the base of Reservoir Hill. (He was the middle child but said he never felt so-- coming six years after his older siblings and four years before the younger ones.) It was here he learned and went on to embrace and cherish throughout his life the value of family.

He attended Immaculate Conception Grade School and then Holy Family High School. In his junior year, Holy Family merged with Marquette to become Bishop Kelley High School from which Pat graduated in 1962. He majored in journalism at the University of Tulsa, BA, 1966, working his way through school, serving his senior year as editor of the school's weekly newspaper. After college he had a stint as the editor of Tulsa Magazine, worked in public relations at the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and worked for both Tulsa's Model Cities Program and the Tulsa Economic Opportunity Task Force, in the federal Office of Economic Opportunity which administered President Johnson's "war on poverty"… something that more suited Pat's idealistic inclinations. Feeling ineffective there, he went on to law school at the University of Tulsa (with his older brother Mickey at Mickey's suggestion), where he earned his Juris Doctor degree in 1973. After his admission to the bar in 1974, Pat immediately joined the firm of Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden and Nelson, P.C., one of the oldest law firms in Oklahoma and the largest based in Tulsa.

Pat loved Tulsa. For all his worldly knowledge and awareness of the larger universe, he never was gone from the city for longer than three weeks, and only three times (Pakistan, Alaska, Tucson), all related to legal business. He had a sense of charity, a sense of obligation to his beloved community. He was appointed twice to two-year terms on the City of Tulsa Human Rights Commission (HRC), under different mayors each time, and served as Chair of that Commission in 1980-81. He also served as the Representative of Greater Tulsa Council (GTC) District 11 from 1975 to 1978, and was Chair of the GTC in 1978, and was on the City-County Jail Advisory Commission during its entire existence, with two terms as Chair of that Commission; on the City of Tulsa, Public Facilities Authority ("TPFA") for over 25 years, chairing that organization for a number of years up until the present time.

He helped found and was also Chair for a time of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and served as a forum member of the Board of the Tulsa Urban League.

The last sentence only hints at two major elements of Pat's existence: his passion for jazz and his commitment to racial equality. He loved jazz-- listened to it, collected recordings since he was thirteen and knew local and national musicians, from the famous to the obscure. And it was his maternal grandmother, Grandma Halpine, who instilled in him and the whole Cremin family, a sense of social justice: the Dodgers broke the color barrier in baseball-- the Cremin family would be Dodger fans.

Baseball, golf, reading and food were Pat's favorite pastimes. His childhood visits to cousins, aunts and uncles in Kansas City turned him into a Royals fan. And his love of food led him to become a gourmet cook. He loved cooking Italian for guests, or putting prime steaks on the grill. His Thanksgiving feasts featured some of his favorite side dishes. He was especially proud of the magazine spread that showed him cooking with his daughter.

Pat wanted to die with his boots on. He loved his work. And it showed. He was eminently successful at it. As a trial lawyer, he specialized in employment litigation, defending employers and supervisors in more than 30 jurisdictions. His win rate was astounding. He was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2002, a highly selective and exclusive professional honor meant to recognize those whose careers have been marked by the highest ethical standards. He was the only labor attorney for the defense ever to be so recognized.

In addition to his inclusion in every edition of Best Lawyers in America, Pat was selected as Best Lawyers in America's 2014 Lawyer of the Year Employment Law-- Individuals; Best Lawyer in America in multiple categories, including Bet-the-Company Litigation and Employment Law; and as an Oklahoma Super Lawyer in Employment Litigation. This is the short list of his honors. He was admitted to courts up to and including the Supreme Court. Pat thought it especially "neat" (his words) his becoming the attorney for his alma mater. It was only fitting: he was a huge fan of TU athletics.

Pat loved people. He loved making people laugh, he loved being the center of attention. He was irreverent, and wise-cracking, even in the courtroom, saying things that were sometimes merely shocking, but a lot of times shocking, yes, and true. But always with the intent to be funny. And people remembered him because of that, even if they only met him once; the guy who was always trying to bring a smile to their lips.

He loved karaoke. He'd do Sinatra and Dean Martin tunes. His brother Kevin doesn't agree that he eventually learned to carry a tune, but he had all the moves and intonations, crooning as if he was in a tux in front of a small café crowd.

He loved people being around him. At Hall, Estill he was very much the heart and soul of the firm. His office became a meeting place after the day's work was done, becoming known as "Club Crembo". There were the regular attendees, there were the occasional drop-ins. Folks gathered, talking shop at times, but mostly letting their hair down, having a beverage, poking fun at each other and becoming friends. Pat was the straw that stirred it all.

Through this full life, Pat suffered more than his fair share of tragedy. He was predeceased by both his son Brian and daughter Catherine. Older siblings Kate and Mickey left him before their time as well.

He is survived by his wife of over 50 years Margie, his brothers James "Baldy" Cremin, Christopher John Cremin and Kevin O'Day Cremin, his sister Margaret "Peggy" Cremin, and his seven grandchildren: Asia Brianna, Atticus Patrick, Solomon Brian, Gideon Jessie, Malachi Elijah and David Elliot, (his daughter's brood); and his son's daughter Tristyn. He had countless cousins, nephews and nieces: Klasens, Byards, O'Donnells and Cremins. He had countless friends. Jim and Judy Jarvis his next door neighbors were integral to Pat's life. But there are too many friends to name. All will feel his loss deeply. He is mourned and missed at Hall, Estill, but by none more so than the two co-workers who were with him the longest: Debbie McClendon, his paralegal for 41 years, and his longtime law partner and golfing mate Kevin Hayes. But, professionally or socially, there are a legion of people who will tell you, "He was my best friend."

Pat, with joy, joins his son and daughter, his parents, his two siblings, his cousin Dick Byard and so many others close to him who preceded him in leaving this world. He goes to a place none of us know, but where, undoubtedly, he'll start a Club Crembo, on the top floor, for all of us to join at our choosing.

There will be a 7 PM Rosary on Wednesday, February 13 and a Mass of Christian Burial at 2 PM on Friday, February 15. Both will be at Holy Family Cathedral, Tulsa. The family will receive everyone at the reception at Tulsa Country Club following Friday's mass.   The interment will be a private affair for family.

Those who wish to honor Pat can send contributions in his name to Holy Family School and/or the University of Tulsa.

Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 918-585-1151