Edward Charles Deeno Kitchen

Edward Charles Deeno Kitchen, a man of integrity, humor, and generosity, died on July 12, 2023, at the age of 81. He was born to Rose Deeb Kitchen and Oscar Edward Kitchen. He was the third generation of his family to live in Tallahassee, Florida and a second-generation native to the town. Deeno was a gifted storyteller and loved to amuse an audience. He found peace and joy in the natural environments of his beloved North Florida home. He loved spending time in nature fishing, hunting, and cooking, especially when accompanied by his sons or hound dog. He delighted children with his gift of being able to whistle any and all tunes effortlessly, by blowing perfectly uniform smoke rings on command, and by never failing to tie the cherry stem from his daughter’s Shirley Temples into knots with his tongue that he would then hand to her on their Daddy-Daughter dates to the Silver Slipper. He was a lifelong fan of the Florida Gators and earned black belts in Chuong Nhu and Isshin-Ryu Martial Arts. He was also inducted into the Leon High School Football and Tallahassee Little League Halls of Fame. Deeno graduated cum laude from the University of Florida College of Law in 1967. He was fourth in his class and a member of the Law Review, the Order of the Coif, and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1968 and has been a Board-Certified Trial Lawyer since 1983. He was also a member of the Tallahassee Bar Association. Deeno began his legal career as an associate in the office of E. William Gautier, his father-in-law, in New Smyrna Beach, and joined Ervin, Pennington, Varn & Jacobs in Tallahassee in 1969. He became a partner of Ervin, Varn, Jacobs, Odom & Kitchen in 1971. In 1988, he was a founding partner of the law firm that would become Kitchen, Judkins, Simpson & High in Tallahassee. He returned to Ervin, Kitchen & Ervin as a partner in 2006. He was peer review AV rated by Martindale-Hubbel, which is the highest level of professional excellence. Best Lawyers in America named him to Florida Legal Elite, Florida's Top Lawyers, and Florida Super Lawyers. He was a fellow with the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, the American Bar Foundation, and the Florida Bar Foundation, as well as a member of the American Bar Association. Deeno practiced law in Tallahassee for over 45 years, focusing primarily on complex civil litigation and criminal defense. His civil practice included personal injury, commercial, and products liability cases for both plaintiffs and defendants. His criminal defense practice included health care fraud, public corruption, antitrust, and illegal drug prosecutions. His clients have included IBM, Purina Mills, Winn-Dixie Stores, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and Phillip Morris USA. He served as trial counsel for Vice President Al Gore and Senator Joe Lieberman in the Florida Presidential Election Contest of 2000. Deeno was especially proud that his law office was located on the same street where he was born and lived, for a time, as a child. Deeno is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia Gautier Kitchen. They have four children, Anne Elizabeth Williams (husband Jimmy), Kimberly Gautier Kitchen Robson (husband Don), William Gautier Kitchen, and Deeb-Paul Kitchen, II (wife Shannon); as well as eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. In addition to his legal accomplishments, Deeno was also a dedicated community leader. He served on the board of directors of the Legal Services of North Florida, the Area Agency on Aging for North Florida, and the National Wild Turkey Federation. He was also a member of the Rotary Club of Tallahassee and the Kiwanis Club of Tallahassee. A rosary and visitation will be held on July 21, 2023, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 624 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, Florida. A funeral service will be held on July 22, 2023, at 10:00 AM, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to: • Legal Services of North Florida Private Bar Involvement Program: Elder, Bankruptcy, Estate Planning, and Health Care 2119 Delta Blvd Tallahassee, FL 32303 • Area Agency on Aging for North Florida: Elder and Health Care 2414 Mahan Dr Tallahassee, FL 32308 • National Wild Turkey Federation 770 Augusta Road, Edgefield, SC 29824 • Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church 624 Miccosukee Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32308 Deeno will be remembered as a kind, compassionate, and talented man who made a difference in the lives of so many. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Susie Mozolic of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the Kitchen family with their arrangements. (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com

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Edward Charles Deeno Kitchen

May 1, 1942 - July 12, 2023