Ex-AG Drue remembered by colleagues as well-respected, formidable advocate

Kerry Drue counted President Barack Obama among her circle of friends. Her nephew was Antigua and Barbuda’s soca sensation Richardo Drue

Until now, these snippets of her life were known only to those closest to her as she was famously reserved. Drue, who served as attorney general in the administration of Gov. Charles Turnbull, died on Aug. 31. She was 58. Former Attorney General Ariel Smith, who joined the V.I. Justice Department after Drue resigned her position in 2007 during an administration change, recalled her uncompromising work ethic.

“Attorney Drue, as a former Civil Division Chief and Attorney General, left a legacy of hard work, exercised with integrity and reflective of government attorneys, and left an indelible mark on the V.I. Department of Justice and the Virgin Islands community,” Smith told The Daily News on Sunday. “Her spirit of excellence to her craft did not end with her tenure at DOJ — Attorney Drew was a zealous and formidable advocate on behalf of her private clients and well-respected among her colleagues. She will be missed.”