Former sherriff, attorney honored with 2003 Liberty Bell awards

Published 12:00 am Friday, May 30, 2003

Terrence L. Meany and Barry J. Simonson share the 2003 Liberty Bell Award.

Brandon Lawhead, president of the Mower County Bar Association, presented their award in ceremonies held Thursday morning.

A large group of attorneys and law enforcement colleagues attended the ceremonies in a Mower County Third Judicial District courtroom.

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The event also attracted Nick Kolas, who exchanged best wishes with Meany and his wife.

Lawhead described the co-honorees as "two very special individuals."

Meany was admitted to the Minnesota Bar Association in 1953 and began practicing law in Austin in 1955.

Simonson concluded a 33-year career in law enforcement in 2002. He began as an Austin Police Department officer and was elected Mower County Sheriff in 1994 and reelected four years later.

Terese Amazi was elected Mower County Sheriff last November. She was a chief deputy at the time in the Mower County Sheriff's Office when Simonson retired.

Amazi said she learned a valuable lesson from her predecessor.

"He always said, 'The harder you work the more luck you have' and I have found this to be true. It was good advice," Amazi said.

Simonson said the award "means a lot to me." His career began as an Austin patrolman. He was promoted to sergeant and became the Austin department's first-ever Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer before being elected county sheriff.

Simonson said he had a "fun career" in over three decades of law enforcement and "always enjoyed going to work every day."

Meany, who was accompanied by his wife, Barbara, expressed his appreciation to the Mower County Bar Association for the honor.

"I've never heard anybody say they did not like him. I've never heard anybody ever say anything bad about him," said J. Michael Enger, attorney and law firm partner with Meany for over three decades.

Enger practiced law with Meany for 33 of the honoree's 48 years before Meany retired a year ago. He described Meany as a "mentor, partner and friend."

Meany, the son of Dr. and Mrs. F.P. Meany, joined an Austin law firm of his brother, Thomas Meany.

It was to become one of the most distinguished law firms in the area and beyond.

Meany became a certified civil trial specialist and his services were coveted by clients across the nation.

It also became the domain of three lifetime friends, who graduated from St. Augustine High School went on to the University of Minnesota and whose paths kept crossing in life.

Robert J. Leighton joined his childhood friend, Terrence L. Meany and then so did, Richard A. Cotter.

All trial lawyers, who specialized in

plaintiffs' personal injury suits and workers compensation and then Enger, who focused on business law

Childhoods were only one of several links among the original trio. High school, college, law school and military service with the Judge Advocate General were others.

Leighton, who is deceased, would see two sons join the law firm, that also boasted the late-Michael Seibel, who became a district court judge.

Leighton is deceased and his sons have

moved on to other law firms elsewhere. Cotter is deceased and Meany retired. Only Enger continues to practice law full-time at the familiar North Main Street office building.

Simonson and his wife, Earlene, accepted congratulations from friends in law enforcement.

Meany acknowledged the best wishes of attorneys young and older.

The one who knew him best had words he felt worth repeating.

"He was one of those persons who you never heard say something derogatory or uncomplimentary about anyone else," Enger said of Meany. "That's the kind of man Terry Meany is."

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com