Craig Boone, who defended people who most needed it, dies at 76

After Craig Boone's friend of more than four decades, Malcolm Reid, received a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia in 2011, Boone fell into a routine with his friend since law school at the University of Minnesota.

Week after week for nine years, Boone would show up at his friend's house, then later at the nursing home. He'd take Reid for rides in his convertible. He'd take him sailing on Lake Minnetonka. He'd take him shopping so they could continue their rivalry about who could dress best for the least amount of money.

After Reid's aphasia deteriorated so he could no longer speak or read, Boone would bring copies of the New Yorker to the nursing home and go through the cartoons with his friend. Even when his friend didn't recognize him, Boone kept coming, until his friend's death earlier this year.

"To do that week after week, year after year, it showed how big of a heart he had," said Kate Flom, Reid's widow and a former colleague of Boone's at the Hennepin County Public Defenders Office.

His big heart was also evident in his career choice. Boone, who died in August at age 76 after a stroke, derived deep satisfaction in standing up for the little guy — the poor, the overlooked of society.

"He was a defender of people who needed defense — that is the essence of Craig," said his wife of 48 years, Katy.

James "Craig" Boone was born in Portland, Ore., the great-great-great-great-grandson of Daniel Boone. He moved all over the country as his father set up Chrysler dealerships before they settled in the Twin Cities: Minnetonka High School, the University of Minnesota, then the University of Minnesota Law School class of 1969. He quit his job at the City Attorney's Office to backpack around Europe with his bride, then returned to Minnesota for a stint at the Legal Rights Center before working at the county public defender's office for 30 years.

"Just a total commitment to fairness and justice — that was part of Craig's being," said federal Judge Michael Davis, one of Boone's closest friends. "It was a total commitment to helping others, and making sure that as a public defender you're making sure the system works as fairly for the poor as it works for the rich. It takes a special person to be able to make that job a career."

Outside of work, Boone was a Renaissance man. He made his own flies for fly-fishing trips. He was an adventurous traveler and voracious reader. He was a Type A personality who always captained the sailboat on Lake Minnetonka. He rode motorcycles and loved cars. He was proud of his children and grandchildren.

Colleagues saw him as someone who wasn't afraid to speak truth to power, and an attorney who wasn't afraid to go to trial. He tried more than 100 jury trials.

"He was constantly butting heads with the system," said Steve Simon, a friend and fellow attorney. "He wanted to work hard to keep the system honest, and Craigy knew the only way to keep the system honest was to fight hard for everyone."

"He wanted to make sure if they were in the justice system, they got a fair shake," said Warren Sagstuen, who worked with Boone at the public defender's office before becoming a District Court judge. "When you came out of that 1960s and 1970s milieu, you saw that things weren't right, and you wanted to do your part to make sure you were the best justice system in the best country we could be. And Craig very much believed in that."

In addition to his wife, Boone is survived by a daughter, Molly, and son, Andy, and two granddaughters. Services will be held at a future date.

Reid Forgrave • 612-673-4647