Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Marian Opala recalled as great intellectual

Opala, a native of Poland who served 32 years on the high court, was 89.

Acquaintances said the law was his passion and he looked forward to lunches with friends, who usually had to book appointments weeks in advance with easily the most sociable of the high court's nine justices.

Opala died Monday from a stroke at Integris Baptist Medical Center, according to a statement from the Oklahoma Administrative Office of the Courts. He was found unconscious Saturday night in his Warr Acres home by police after he didn't respond to telephone calls and knocks on the door. He was taken to Integris Southwest Medical Center and transferred to Baptist, where he underwent surgery Sunday.

Oklahoma County Assessor Leonard Sullivan said he was at an event Friday night with Opala.

"He said he was feeling great, never felt better," said Sullivan, who knew Opala for about 20 years.

"This is an end of a judicial era for Oklahoma," said Andy Coats, who retired this year as the University of Oklahoma Law Center dean. "For a man of diminutive size, he was a giant. His decisions and the way he articulated them over the years were splendid."

Coats called Opala a "true intellectual yet at the same time a very charming and pleasant companion."

Opala had "an encyclopedic legal mind," said Oklahoma City University President Robert Henry, who as a member of the state House met Opala 34 years ago. "He knew more law than anyone I had ever known."

"I want to call him an intellectual giant who will be missed," said Justice Steven Taylor, who was scheduled to have lunch Monday with Opala.