Athens-Clarke County's first city attorney, Denny Galis, dies at 86

Denny Galis, a long-time attorney in Athens who espoused his Greek heritage and became the first city attorney for the unified Athens-Clarke County government, died Tuesday. He was 86.

Galis died in hospice care of heart failure and surrounded by close family members, according to his wife Peggy Galis.

Galis was the city of Athens attorney for 14 years having been appointed to the position by former Mayor Upshaw Bentley, then he became the first city attorney for the unified government of Athens-Clarke County in 1991.

He left that position after four years to work as a lawyer specializing in mediation and arbitration. His mediation work, according to his employment worksite, led to the settlement of more than 1,000 cases.

“He loved it,” his wife of 57 years said about his law work. “For decades he was a member of the Board of Governors for the State Bar of Georgia and that was important for him. He loved Athens and (his family) all felt how lucky they were to be here.”

Galis was born Nov. 1, 1935, the son of Tony and Yota Galis, both Greek immigrants. His father owned Tony’s restaurant on East Clayton Street, a popular spot in downtown in the 1950s and 60s that became a morning coffee stop for the city’s lawyers during those years.

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Galis’ mother, a homemaker, was among those instrumental in the founding of the first Greek Orthodox Church in Athens.

John Timmons, a former law partner, said Galis gave him his first opportunity to join a firm and practice law in Athens.

“He was a lifelong friend and a gentleman. He had a great way with people,” Timmons said. “When Denny started practicing law practically everyone was a general practitioner,” including criminal, civil, and family law, and taking indigent court-appointed cases.

Timmons said Galis had a love for sailing, a passion he passed to his sons, Tony Galis of Athens and Heard Galis of St. Simons Island.

Western Circuit Superior Court Judge Lawton Stephens said Galis “had the right attitude about practicing law. He never got overly excited and he liked to move cases.”

Galis’ mediation service was needed in Athens, especially in regards to divorces, Stephens said.

“He was proud of his Greek heritage,” Stephens said recalling a trip that Galis made aboard a cruise ship headed to Bermuda.

“He decided to go up to the bridge and meet the captain and first mate. They found out he was Greek and broke out the Ouzo and got to talking and having a drink or two. The next thing they know, they had missed the turn to Bermuda and had to make a U-turn in the middle of the Atlantic,” the judge recalled with a chuckle.

Mike Thurmond, the CEO for DeKalb County and first elected Black official in a statewide election when he became Georgia Labor Commissioner, returned to his hometown of Athens in 1978 with a law degree.

“I went to see Mayor (Upshaw) Bentley and asked him for a job and he said ‘OK, I’ll make you the assistant city attorney.’ That was on a Wednesday and he said, ‘You need to report for work Monday at Denny Galis’ office.’”

Thurmond said he came on time and when the secretary called Galis to say his assistant had arrived, Galis responded with a loud “What?” Galis called the mayor.

“Mayor Bentley forgot to tell Denny that he had hired me,” Thurmond recalled with a laugh.

However, Thurmond first met Galis while he was a student at Burney Harris High School, in 1970 when Black students at the school were demonstrating against a plan to close the school and merge with the all-white Athens High School. The city filed a restraining order against the demonstrations held by Black students.

“I was one of the main defendants,” Thurmond recalled. Galis was appointed by the courts to represent the students when they sought to quash the order.

“The first day I ever set foot in a courtroom, Denny Galis was my attorney,” Thurmond said.

“We developed a friendship that has lasted a lifetime,” Thurmond said.

“Denny and Peggy have been my biggest supporters, personally, politically, and especially with my research. Each time I published a book, they made generous contributions," he said..”

The funeral service for Galis is set for 1 p.m. Friday at St. Philothea Greek Orthodox Church, 3761 Mars Hill Road, Watkinsville.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: First city attorney for Athens-Clarke County, Denny Galis, dies