GLOUCESTER: Attorney Miles J. Schlichte, 79, died early Wednesday morning, January 21, 2009 following an extended illness. He was the husband of Barbara Jean (Palmer) Schlichte. They had shared 54 years of marriage.
Born in Boston on June 19, 1929, he was one of six children of Drs. Agnes (Muldoon) and George Schlichte of Lexington. Miles joined the US Marine Corps upon graduation from St. John's High School in North Cambridge in 1946. He proudly served seven years in various assignments, including Korea where he was the commanding officer of a weapons company. Upon returning from Korea, he married his wife Barbara, a Regis graduate.
Miles was a graduate of Boston College and Boston College Law School. A dedicated and talented lawyer, with particular enthusiasm for trial work, Miles soon established a diverse and thriving solo law practice in Gloucester, which he continued to enjoy well into his 70's. Some of the highlights of his career include trying six murder cases. He was also appointed Special Prosecutor during President Nixon's War on Crime and headed up the Essex County Prosecutor's Program. He also brought an admiralty case to the US Supreme Court and tried six cases in the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Today his daughters Catherine Henry and Patricia Johnstone carry on the practice.
A former President of the Gloucester Bar Association, Miles instituted a professional speakers' seminar series, together with an annual dinner designed to introduce young lawyers and their spouses to older members of the bar.
Miles was an active citizen, serving a term on the Gloucester City Council, which he enjoyed, yet reluctantly declined to serve again, owing to the needs of his wife and eight children. During his term, he was responsible for the transfer of St. Peter's High School (later renamed Fuller School) from Cardinal Cushing to the City of Gloucester, at no cost to the city. During this time, he was also awarded a Presidential Citation for securely hiding and caring for Joe Barbosa, a mob informant, whose testimony broke up the Cosa Nostra and sent crime boss Raymond Patriarca to jail. For two years, Miles secretly, and without pay, arranged for safe houses, food, transportation, and other essentials for Barbosa and the federal marshals guarding him.
In addition to his devoted wife Barbara, a former teacher in the Gloucester public schools, he is also survived by his sister and her husband, Kay and Joe Sestak; his brother, Jack Schlichte; his sister-in-law, Helen Chin Schlichte; and his brother-in-law Bill Clancy. He is also survived by his eight children, their spouses, and eleven grandchildren who will miss him greatly, especially as a shrewd card player, unrivalled sports fan, dedicated reader, and lively conversationalist.
His children and their spouses are Barbara wife of Edward Wierzbicki of Old Wethersfield Connecticut, Joan, wife of Karl Stockbridge of Auburn, California, Miles, Jr., husband of Nancy Schlichte; George Schlichte, Mark, husband of Tracey Schlichte, Catherine wife of Shawn Henry, Patricia, wife of Gary Johnstone, Marianne, wife of Robert Smith. The grandchildren are Jeffrey, Ryan, Eric and Amanda-T Schlichte of Gloucester; Nathan and Matthew Wierzbicki of Connecticut; Katherine and Margaret Stockbridge of California and Zachary, Aaron and Isaiah Smith of Gloucester.
A private funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church on Monday, January 26th at 9:30 a.m. There are no visiting hours. A celebration of his life will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 70 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA 01930.