Attorney Carl A. Earles, a native of Hemphill, Texas, died Saturday, May 18. Memorial services, beginning today, will be held at two locations.
He was born on June 24, 1922, and passed a little more than a month shy of his 91st birthday.
Earles received a bachelor of science degree from Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, in 1943, and after graduation immediately enlisted in the United States Army. He served with distinction in the European Theater with the field artillery division and attended chemical warfare school.
Honorably discharged at the end of World War II, he soon relocated to Los Angeles where he studied law at USC and Southwestern School of Law under the G.I. Bill.
Earles passed the California State Bar in 1951 and practiced law for more than 60 years. When he turned 90, he received congratulations from President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama, Gov. Jerry Brown, Los Angeles County Second District Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, as well as Los Angeles City Council members Bernard Parks (8th District) and Jan Perry (9th District).
He was a member of the National Bar Association (Hall of Fame in 1993), American Bar Association, State Bar of California, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Langston Bar Association (former president and Hall of Fame in 1997), Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, Supreme Court of California and American Judicature Society. He was also one of the first African Americans to serve as a delegate for the California State Bar Association.
Earles served as a trustee and general counsel for Hamilton United Methodist Church, the Los Angeles Wiley College Club (former president), and held memberships in the NAACP, the Spring Valley Lake Country Club, 28th Street YMCA Century Club, Crenshaw Neighbors and Hepburn Avenue Block Club.
He was active in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. for more than 70 years and served as the organization’s fifth Grand Counselor (national attorney) and president of two chapters in Los Angeles. He also served on the Wiley College Board of Trustees for more than 40 years.
Earles was instrumental in guiding many students to attend Wiley College and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. will hold a memorial service today (Thursday, May 23) at 6 p.m. at
Simpson’s Family Mortuary, 3443 W. Manchester Blvd. in Inglewood. There will also be a Service of Remembrance on Tuesday, May 28, at 11 a.m. at Hamilton United Methodist Church, 6330 S. Figueroa St. in Los Angeles.
Viewing will be held three times: Sunday and Monday, May 26-27, from 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. at Simpson’s Family Mortuary, and immediately before the Service of Remembrance on Tuesday. Interment at
Inglewood Cemetery Mortuary, 720 E. Florence Ave., Inglewood, will follow the Service of Remembrance.
For further information, contact David Miller at (323) 240-2088 or Yvonne Adams at (323) 938-7014.
