Wonderful Judge, Wonderful Man!

One of Philadelphia's great, grand judges was honored with a portrait unveiling at City Hall in Philadelphia recently and dear friends and family members turned out to pay homage to this beloved member of the Judiciary.
The Honorable Charles P. Mirarchi, Jr. of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court was feted by the city's Justinian Society of Italian-American lawyers and judges.
Gina Furia Rubel, Chancellor of the Justinains told me this was one of the most heartfelt, intimate and emotional events that she could ever remember as a Justinian.
"Judge Mirarchi is an old family friend and he's the Judge who administered the oath to me when I first became a member of the Bar," Gina said. Gina's dad, Richard F. Furia goes back even further with Judge Mirarchi and the Mirarchi family. The ties are very strong since Judge Mirarchi was a trailblazer for Italian-Americans.
When I first went to work for the Philadelphia Bar Association so many years ago Judge Mirarchi was one of the first judges that I met. He invited me to his chambers -- a warm, loving, demonstrative man with an easy smile, an unselfish devotion to the law and a willingness to share all that he knew. Instantly, I felt that I knew this man and that I could talk to him about almost anything. Over the years, that feeling never changed. Never looking our for himself, Judge Mirarchi always asked me how I was doing and showed an interest in me, my career and my family.
Honorable Pamela Pryor Dembe, the wonderful President Judge of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas presided at the Mirarchi event and the portrait was unveiled by Gina Furia Rubel, Judge Anthony J. DeFino and Haddonfield artist Joseph Routon.
What a beautiful portrait. What a wonderful man!

Shown above: Judge Mirarchi with portrait, Mirarch with Justinian Chancellor Gina Furia Rubel, Mirarch with President Jodge Pamela Pryor Dembe, Mirarch with Chancellor Furia Rubel and Richard Furia.