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Class of 1960
John B. Maxwell, Jr., 88, former member of the Tennessee House of Representatives and senior partner of the law firm, Apperson, Crump & Maxwell, died Saturday, January 22nd, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Jo Hall Maxwell; a son, Jay (Sara) Maxwell, and his daughter Elizabeth Arnoult. You can read his full obituary here. Posted 3.21.22
Gilbert S. Merritt Jr. , 86, a father, grandfather, friend and federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit Court for 44 years, has passed away. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated Merritt, who had served as U.S. attorney for Middle Tennessee under the Johnson administration, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit Court. His work there included seven years as chief judge. He was an accomplished pilot as well as a fiercely competitive tennis and golf player. Read his full obituary here. Posted 1.31.22
John T. Nixon died December 19, 2019. Nixon earned his undergraduate degree at Harvard University and served in the U.S. Army before earning his law degree at Vanderbilt in 1960. He practiced law in Anniston, Alabama, for two years and then served as Anniston’s city attorney for two years before joining the CIvil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in 1964.
After returning to private practice, he served as a staff attorney in Tennessee’s Office of the State Comptroller from 1971 to 1976, when he moved to Nashville to practice law.
Nixon served as a Tennessee Circuit Court judge from 1977 to 1978 and then as a judge in the Tennessee Court of General Sessions from 1978 to 1980 before he was appointed to a seat on the Middle District of Tennessee in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter. He served as the district’s chief judge from 1991 to 1998, when he took senior status. He took inactive senior status in 2016.
Judge Nixon is survived by two daughters. Read his full obituary here. Posted 3.19.20
Richard H. Crawford of Memphis, Tennessee, died May 31. Dick earned his undergraduate degree at Rhodes College. After law school, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard and attended Officer Candidate School, serving as a commander of the local Memphis Coast Guard Reserve during the 1960s. Dick practiced law in Memphis and served as a juvenile court judge. In 1989, he went to Washington, D.C. for service during the Gulf War, retiring to Memphis in 1996. In retirement, Dick was a commander in the Military Officers Association of America and the Military Order of the World Wars. Dick is survived by three children. Posted 12.3.19
Charles H. McWherter died October 16. He was a resident of Martin, Tennessee. Charles attended University of Tennessee at Martin, and Union University on a basketball scholarship. He also attended University of Tennessee at Knoxville before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. In addition, Charles served in the United States Navy. Posted 11.28.16
Shirley Zeitlin Lubetkin (BA’59) died January 21. She was 77. Shirley was the only woman in her graduating class at Vanderbilt Law. An attorney for almost 50 years, she worked at local firm Trabue, Sturdivant and Dewitt for a period of time. She practiced law in Nashville, Tennessee, Detroit, Louisville, Kentucky, Hallandale, Florida, and was a member of the Legal Aid Society. In 1970, she ran for congress in Kentucky. She is survived by her husband, Phil, and her son. Posted 9.17.15
Patrick Henry Mann Jr. was recently named “Man of the Year” in Brownsville, Tennessee. He and his wife, Ann Rule Mann (BA’60) have lived in Brownsville since graduation with their four children, one of whom is Dr. Elizabeth Mann (BS’88). The Manns were honored for their many charitable contributions to the community. Posted 2.25.15
Harris E. Coleman of Olney, Maryland, died December 31. He was 78. Harris earned his undergraduate degree at Penn State and earned an LL.M. at George Washington University after earning his law degree at Vanderbilt. He served in the Judge Advocate General Corps from 1960-64 and then spent his entire career in government service, working at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where he developed a specialty in procurement law as a trial attorney in the Federal Highway Administration before transferring to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, from which he retired in 1999. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Benita Lewis Coleman; three sons; and five grandchildren. Posted 1.26.14
Judge Paul Barry Jones died May 12. He was 77. Judge Jones served as Circuit Judge for 18 years for Adair, Casey, Cumberland and Monroe counties in Kentucky. He was District Judge of Adair and Casey counties for two years. He practiced law for 20 years as an attorney with Hurt & Jones Law Office and then with Jones and Jones Law Office. He was also a retired farmer and a former instructor at Lindsey Wilson College. Judge Jones was a member of Columbia Masonic Lodge #96 for over 50 years, member of Columbia Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon for many years and also served as choir/music director. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Kathy Carter Jones; one son; two daughters; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Posted 5.27.14
David Ford Hunt, 82, died March 16. After earning his undergraduate degree from the University of North Texas, David served as a special agent in the counter-intelligence corps in the U.S. Army from 1954-56. From 1956-58 he served Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity as traveling secretary and served his home chapter at UNT and at SMU as 'High Pi' and president of the house corporations. After graduating from law school, he clerked for a U.S. district judge in Texas before beginning the practice of law in Dallas, specializing in commercial litigation. He was admitted to practice in various federal courts, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. He served as chairman, District 6, Committee on Bar Admissions, State Board of Law Examiners from 1978-87. He served as a past member of Vanderbilt Law School's advisory committee, development committee, and alumni board. He retired from active practice with Jenkins and Gilchrist, in Dallas, in 1995. Posted 3.25.14
W. Mitchell Crawford III (BA'58) died December 19, 2011 in Fayetteville, Tennessee following an extended illness. Mitchell was born February 10, 1936 in Fayetteville, TN. He earned both his undergraduate and law degrees at Vanderbilt.At Vanderbilt, Mitchell was an officer of the Kappa Sigma men's fraternity, president of the Young Democrats Club, editor of the Tower, and on the staff of the Dean of Men. He was president of the Vanderbilt University Theater Group from 1963-64 and appeared in several productions. Later, he was a proud member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve from 1960-66. He became a partner of Chambliss Bahner & Crawford in 1965 and established a private practice in Franklin, Tennessee, from 1975-85. He served on many local and state commissions and was very active in the Democratic Party. He was appointed Deputy Commissioner for Tennessee Department of Employment Security in 1987-96. He retired in 2009 as Assistant District Attorney for Child Support Enforcement of the 17th Judicial district (TN). Mitchell is survived by two sons; seven grandchildren; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.
Ben F. Loeb, Jr. (BA'55) died September 11, 2011 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Ben was Professor of Public Law and Government and Assistant Director of the University of North Carolina's Institute of Government for more than 35 years. Over the course of his long academic and legal career, Ben served as counsel to several committees of the North Carolina General Assembly, including Highway Safety, Wildlife Resources and Transportation. He also wrote numerous books and articles on such topics as motor vehicle law, alcohol beverage control and eminent domain. A native of Nashville, he earned both his undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt and then spent two years on active duty as an Army intelligence officer during the Korean conflict. He completed the Military Intelligence School at Fort Riley, Kansas, and the Artillery and Guided Missile School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and was then assigned to the 525th Military Intelligence Group. After his Army service, he returned to Vanderbilt to attend law school. He was an associate editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review and a member of the Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity. He is survived by two sons and five grandchildren.
John Goodall Crutchfield died June 28, 2011, at the age of 82. After earning a degree in agriculture from the University of Kentucky, he returned home to transform the family farm in Trenton into a dairy farm. John joined the Navy as an officer and rose to the rank of lieutenant commander serving as an aviator, flying jets and helicopters off of aircraft carriers. After earning his law degree at Vanderbilt, he practiced law for over 50 years rising to partner in the law firm of MacKenzie and Peden. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; two daughters; two brothers; and two sisters.
Jerry Martin died peacefully at home February 3, 2009, after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born June 18, 1933 in Crossett, Arkansas. Jerry attended Memphis State University and after graduation entered the Air Force, where he served as a first lieutenant, eventually earning the rank of captain and becoming a navigation school instructor. Encouraged by a former professor, he then entered Vanderbilt Law School, where he was selected for the Vanderbilt Law Review. In 1960, he started a general law practice in Memphis, where he spent a long, successful career representing his clients with his trademark style of engaging professionalism until just a few months before his death and achieved Martindale-Hubbell's Preeminent Rating for attorneys. Always a leader chosen by his peers, Jerry was vice president of his college fraternity, elected president of his law school fraternity, president of the Memphis Junior Bar Association and president of the University Club. He excelled at anything athletic beginning with his first love, high school football, followed by tennis and golf. His competitive tenacity was evidenced both in his pursuit of the game and in his struggle against cancer. Ultimately, however, Jerry's defining characteristics were his love for and his loyalty to his family and friends. Jerry is survived by his wife of 34 years, Carolyn; his three children, Jerry Martin Jr. and Lee Rantzow of Memphis and Kevin Ogilby of Gainesville, Florida, and six grandchildren. Jerry's last two years were enhanced by the compassionate care of his law partner and Vanderbilt classmate, Don Pemberton.
Class of 1961
James Horner Woodson aged 89, of Birmingham, Alabama, died on June 30, of Alzheimer's Disease. We have lost a man of great intellect, a champion for fairness, an avid reader of history, an enormous sense of humor and an appreciator of the ridiculousness of life. He was a student of the world, endlessly interested in other cultures and people. Read his full obituary here. Posted 8.1.22
Thomas Lawwell, asge 87, peasefully passed away at Maury Regional Hospital on February 12th, surrounded by family. He is survived by his two children: daughter, Lindsey "Lindy" (David) Gagnon, and son Thommy (Christy) Lawwell. Read his full obituary here. Posted 3.21.22
George H. Nafziger, 85, of Springfield, passed away on Sunday, November 21, at his home. He is survived by his wife, Rita Gooch, and his son, Philip
(Terri) Nafziger. George loved to travel, especially to Sanibel Island. He enjoyed learning and reading about all kinds of history. Read his full obituary here. Posted 12.13.21
Stanley Ruby died Saturday, January 2, 2021. Read his full obituary here. Posted 8.27.21
Leon Burrow, age 85 of Blytheville, Arkansas, formerly of Milan, passed away May 15, 2021. He was a former deputy prosecutor and practiced law in Blythewille until his death. Mr. Burrow was a 32nd degree mason and a member of the AI Chymia Shrine Temple, past president of the Blytheville Bar Association and the Mississippi County Bar Association. Read full obituary here. Posted 5.2021
Walton Thomas Conn, Sr., age 90, of Nashville, TN, died November 10, 2020. He was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church for 53 years, where he served as a deacon and in a number of other capacities. He loved history and was a member of a number of historical societies including the Sons of the American Revolution and the Kentucky Historical Society. He was an avid fan of Vanderbilt basketball, having been a season ticketholder since 1968. You can read his full obituary here. Posted 2.11.21
Robert Covington, professor of law emeritus, died at his home November 29, 2020. He joined the Vanderbilt Law faculty immediately after earning his law degree. Covington accepted an offer to join the Vanderbilt law faculty permanently after his fellowship year ended and taught labor and employment law for 46 years until his retirement in 2007. In addition to his recognized expertise in labor law, he also published books and articles on evidence, insurance, legal method and legal education over the course of his distinguished academic career. Read more here. Posted 1.25.21
Robert E. Banker "Bob" 85, a longtime trial attorney in Tampa, died peacefully on Monday, April 27, 2020. Bob had many wins in the courtroom. Notable successes include representing New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in his battles with Major League Baseball, and defending Learjet in a multimillion dollar wrongful death suit after a crash that killed pro golfer Payne Stewart. Bob's greatest joy was his family. He delighted in his beloved children, and his six precious granddaughters. Read his full obituary here. Posted 9.25.20
Nathan James Harsh, prominent Gallatin, Middle Tennessee Attorney, antiquarian, and civil liberties champion, died on Friday, April 10, 2020 at age 82, having practiced law in Gallatin, Tennessee since August 1961. Read his full obituary here. Posted 9.23.20
Judge Larry Barkley Creson, Jr. (BA’58). of Memphis, Tennessee, died July 2. Larry served in the Air National Guard, and practiced law for 14 years before he was appointed an administrative law judge hearing Social Security disability cases. He retired in 2017 after 42 years. A talented artist, he drew the covers for Vanderbilt football programs and, later, political cartoons for the Memphis Business Journal. Larry helped pioneer soccer as a sport in Memphis and published The Simple Soccer Book. He was an Eagle Scout and a champion handball player. He is survived by his wife, Elaine Boyer Creson, and two daughters. Posted 12.3.19
Neil Papiano died February 14, in Arcadia, California. He was 85. Neil worked for Oscar Trippett, predecessor law firm to Iverson, Yoakum, Papiano & Hatch, until his retirement in 2014. He was best known for representing many high profile clients in the entertainment industry, including Jimmy Nederlander, Sr., the Nederlander Organization, Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, Joan Collins, Walter Matthau, and Sondra Locke. Neil rounded off his practice by representing corporations, including American Airlines, Lockheed-Martin Corporation, DFS Duty Free Shops, Bridgestone-Firestone Tires, U.S. Steel, Bristol Myers, the Coca-Cola Company, and other business entities in corporate and civil litigation matters including Ronald Reagan when he was governor of California. Posted 2.20.19
Joe H. Mount died April 13. He was 82. In the late 1940’s he enlisted in the Florida National Guard and then the U.S. Army in 1954, before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. He practiced law in diverse legal fields for over fifty years, many of them as a private, federal, or county attorney in Florida before moving to Manchester, Vermont. At the time of his death he had retired from the Immigration & Customs Enforcement Bureau of the Department of Homeland Security in Williston, Vermont. He is survived his wife of 61 years, Jan, five children and five grandchildren. Posted 4.24.18
Percy Wilkins Jr. of Nashville died March 3. He was 83. Percy received his undergraduate degree from East Carolina College. While still in college, Percy married Virginia Ann Reed on Bride and Groom, a nationally televised show on NBC. He received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force and entered pilot training in 1955. Percy was later assigned to Sewart Air Force Base in Smyrna where he worked in the Information Services Office with duties in publications, publicity and community relations. In 1957, he accompanied the troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to integrate Central High School. On release from military service, he entered Vanderbilt Law School and began practicing in Murfreesboro in 1961. In 1963, he moved his practice to Nashville and until his retirement in 2004, practiced real estate law. During his last 21 years practicing law, he was in partnership with his daughter, Christy, as Wilkins & Ivey, Attorneys. Percy is survived by his wife, two daughters and four granddaughters. Posted 3.22.17
Judge Ed Butler was among the winners of the Texas Genealogical College's Texas Hall of Fame Class of 2016 for his work in genealogical studies. Judge Butler has served as a judge at the city, county, state and federal levels. In his 30 year career as an SAR leader, he was the founder of both the Laredo and Boerne, TX SAR chapters and both the Mexico and Spain SAR societies. He was also the founder of the Texas Genealogical College. Posted 11.28.16
Judge Edward Franklyn Butler Sr. has written a book, Galvez: Spain—Our Forgotten Ally in the American Revolutionary War (2015, Southwest Historical Press) that highlights Spain’s key role in assisting the United States during the Revolutionary War. Ed is a retired U.S. administrative law judge and lives near San Antonio, Texas. Posted 7.8.15
Lawrence M. Magdovitz (BA’59) of Clarksdale, Mississippi, died May 24. He was 77 years old. A native of Clarksdale, Mississippi he briefly worked in Kentucky after law school before returning home to open the Law Offices of Lawrence Magdovitz in 1962. His law practice spanned 52 years. While he was respected for his legal skills, his true talent lay in the real estate business. Until the day he died, Lawrence was a licensed attorney in Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, and a residential contractor and real estate broker in Mississippi. He bought his first rental house in Clarksdale when he was just 16, using money saved from working at his family’s department store. After his return to Clarksdale in 1962, he began buying rental homes; at one time he owned over 200 homes in Clarksdale. In 1980s, he bought a small commercial building leased to the U.S. Postal Service in Dundee, Mississippi; by 2002, he had amassed a portfolio of several hundred post offices and was second only to the Postal Service itself in the number of post office buildings he owned. In 2010, he bought a Dollar General building, after which he put together another portfolio of commercial real estate. He gave generously to the Boy Scouts and the Institute for Southern Jewish Life and created the Lawrence M. & Kerin C. Magdovitz Foundation. A devoted family man, he married Kerin Northrup Coffey in 1972. Kerin died in 1994; he is survived by their two children and four grandchildren. Posted 6.22.15
Charles Edward Weis Jr. died October 26. He was 78 years old. Charles received his PhD from Arizona State University and taught at Tennessee State University for more than 30 years in the business department. He is survived by five children. Posted 11.4.14
George Salo Stern (BA'59) died July 2. He was 77. George was a prominent family law attorney, active community leader and philanthropist, mentor, scholar, world traveler, sports fanatic, husband, father, Opa and friend to all. Born in Brussels, Belgium in 1937, he immigrated with his parents to Nashville in 1941. George practiced law in Atlanta for 50 years, most of which specializing in family law in the practice he founded, Stern and Edlin. From 1998-1999, he was the National President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He was the Treasurer of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers from 1991 to 2012, having founded the organization's U.S. chapter. He was one of only 100 members of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers. In 2012 George received The Jack P. Turner Award from the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia for his outstanding contribution and achievement in the area of family law for the past 50 years. Most recently, the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers created the George S. Stern Achievement Award and honored him as the first recipient of an award that will recognize the recipient's accomplishments in the practice of family law. His first wife died in 2000. He is survived by his second wife, Margie Okun, and a large extended family. 7.24.14
The Rev. John E. Hibbard (BDiv'58) died May 7, following a brief battle with cancer. He graduated from Berea Academy then served as a Naval Medical Corpsman attached to the U.S. Marines in World War II. He received his undergraduate degree from Johnson University, Knoxville, before earning his degrees in law and divinity from Vanderbilt. Rev. Hibbard was an ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He served student pastorates in Kentucky and Tennessee and was minister of the Eastwood Christian Church in Nashville for 6 years and the First Christian Church of the Beaches for 43 years. After retiring in 2002, he served as interim pastor at the historic First Christian Church of Tampa. He was a long time Rotarian, president of Beaches Rotary, a founding member of Rotary Sunset in Ponte Vedra, and a Paul Harris Fellow. A member of various ministers associations, a founding member of Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry, and for 15 years, was the volunteer chaplain of the early Beaches Hospital. He was a member of Beaches Historical Society and the Ponte Vedra, Marsh Landing, and Sawgrass Clubs. He loved golf and was a founding member of the Saturday Morning DewSweepers at the Ponte Vedra Club. Rev. Hibbard is survived by his wife, Marianne Permenter Hibbard (MA'65); two daughters; a son; and three grandsons. Posted 5.27.14
John R. Fawcett died January 30. He practiced law in New York City and was legal counsel for the sale of Fawcett Publications to CBS in 1976. After retiring from law practice, he moved to Avon, Colorado, where he served on the town council and was mayor from 1996-98. John is survived by his life partner, Helen-Ann Comstock; and four children. Posted 2.14.14
Henry Von Sutton of Memphis, Tennessee, died February 27. He was 80. After a brief stint at Lambuth College, he volunteered for the Navy, serving aboard a destroyer during the Korean War. Discharged as a petty officer 1st class in 1955, he earned his undergraduate degree at Memphis State before earning his law degree at Vanderbilt, where he was a member of the Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity. He was co-chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee, a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and elector of the Electoral College. While running for U.S. Congress in 1966, he claimed “for every American the right to equal citizenship under the law-equality at the polls, equality at work, equality and fairness in all human dealings. This right, this equality is required not only by the law, but by basic human morality." He was married to the love of his life, Doris Seymour Sutton, for 55 years. He is survived by three sons; a daughter; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Posted 4.30.12
The Hon. Don A. Foster passed away January 15 after a lengthy struggle with cancer. Don served his country from 1952 to 1954 in the U.S. Army in Korea; he was awarded the Korean Service Medal. In 1957 he graduated from SIU Carbondale with a degree in Zoology. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Vanderbilt Law School in 1960. Upon graduation, he returned to Ridgway and practiced law. In 1962 he was elected Gallatin County Judge. Two years later he was appointed Associate Circuit Judge, and became a Circuit Judge in 1970. He served the citizens of Gallatin County and the Second Circuit for more than 46 years until his retirement in 2008. He is survived by his wife, brother, four daughters, and seven grandchildren. Posted 1.19.12
Alfred H. Knight, prominent Nashville attorney, died October 10, 2011, at the age of 74. Alfred fought for decades to open government to the press and public. For decades, those who needed help were media outlets including The Tennessean and organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists, which awarded Mr. Knight with its highest accolade, the First Amendment Award, in 1984. While Alfred's approach to the law was in his words, “simple,” his accomplishments were monumental, colleagues, family members and former clients said. He helped write laws that require government meetings and records to be open and that protect Tennessee journalists from being forced to disclose information obtained during news gathering. He won cases that forced federal prosecutors to disclose basic information concerning arrests and that led the state legislature to expressly prohibit public bodies from voting by secret ballot. Alfred also authored The Life of the Law: The People and Cases that Have Shaped Our Society, from King Alfred to Rodney King which won the 1997 Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association. He is survived by his sons, his first wife and two grandchildren. His second wife, Ruth Sweet, died of cancer in 1998.
Collis H. White Sr. died March 5, 2010. Collis served as District Attorney in Orange County, Florida. Starting in 1976, he spent the remainder of his career in private practice, focusing on real estate law. He retired in 2006. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Gladys G. White, and four children. Posted 3.27.10
David Louis Simpson III died May 23, 2009, in Memphis. He began his practice of law in Memphis as an assistant city attorney. He was an associate with Larkey Dudley Blanchard and McRae. In 1968 he joined the legal department at Conwood Corporation, where he became Secretary and General Counsel. He retired from Conwood in 2001 after 33 years. David served on the Board of the Memphis Pink Palace for a number of years, acting as its legal counsel and was instrumental in obtaining the museum's IMAX Theater. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Beth, their three children, and six grandchildren.
Judge Jonathan J. Robertson II died October 13, 2008, at his home. Jonathan served in United States Army and then earned a bachelor of science degree from Indiana University in 1954. He served as senior judge of the Indiana Court of Appeals 1971-1997, chief judge of Indiana Court of Appeals 1975-1978, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge 1965-1970, counsel to Indiana General Assembly's House of Representatives 1963, Jackson County prosecuting attorney 1963-1964, and was in private law practice in Seymour from 1961-1964. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Bundy, two sons, a daughter and four grandchildren.
Jon Rickert died June 9, 2008, at his home in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Jon earned his undergraduate degree in business and economics in 1958 from Indiana University, and after earning his law degree at Vanderbilt, he began his 30-year career in the general practice of law in Elizabethtown. From 1968-1972, he served with distinction in the Kentucky General Assembly, representing the 25th District. He was not only voted by the news media as the most outstanding freshman legislator, but he also led the fight in Kentucky's state capital, Frankfort, and in Washington, D.C. to save the Red River Gorge. A dedicated birder and naturalist, Jon wrote the Nature Preserves Act, which established the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, and he served as its chairman from 1976-1988. He acted as special advisor on environmental affairs to Kentucky Governor Julian Carroll and was a member of the Kentucky Environmental Quality Commission. In 1973, he was a founding member of the American Birding Association and he also served as the organization's attorney. In 1978, he wrote and published A Guide to North American Bird Clubs. He was a life member of The Nature Conservancy. Throughout his life, Jon traveled to Australia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, United Kingdom, and all 50 states on birding trips. In 2004, he was selected by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to join the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker search team in the swamps of Arkansas for a two-week expedition. Jon is survived by his wife, Bobbie, their son and two daughters, and five grandchildren.
Class of 1962
Alexander P. Looney passed away March 17th. Read his full obituary here. Posted 3.21.22
Hon. Robert C. Laws, a Vanderbilt football star in the 1950s, died on Thursday August 27th at age 85 Read his full obituary here. Posted 12.2.20.
Frank Bond Dodson (BA '55) died September 3, at the age of 86. Frank graduated from the College of Arts & Sciences in 1955 and the Law School in 1962. He is survived by son, David and daughter-in-law Michelle and two grandchildren, Connor and Kaitlyn, Nashville. He was a member of the United Methodist Church. He practiced law in Tennessee for 40 years and was admitted before the United States Supreme Court. For 13 years he was a Navy Fighter Pilot and held a commercial pilot's license. He was a certified scuba diver and loved golf, skiing, tennis and Bridge. He was president of the Downtown Kingsport Association, Kingsport, TN. Posted 11.12.19
Thomas Ray Allen (BA’60) died April 14. He was 81. Tom graduated as the Founder's Medalist for his law class and joined the U.S. Army JAG Corps, stationed at the Pentagon. After his service, he earned an LL.M. at Harvard Law School before entering private practice. Tom practiced law in Florida for 50 years, specializing in corporate and tax law and estate planning. He earned an LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida in 1990. An avid traveler and sportsman, his interests included tennis, the Orlando Magic, camping, hiking, white-water rafting, reading and art. Tom is survived by Beverly Bidwell, his love of 14 years, three daughters, and seven grandchildren. Posted 5.2.19
William M. Hames died July 30. While in Law school, he was order of the coif and editor in chief of the law review. After law school he joined the law firm of Sutherland, Asbill, & Brennan where he practiced his entire career. Bill is survived by his loving and devoted wife Doris Hames, his two children, Donia Hames Robinson and Adam M. Hames, a daughter in law Mary C. Hames and two granddaughters Lauren M. Hames and Kelsey A. Hames. Posted 9.05.2018
Jerry L. Patterson died June 20. He was 84. Jerry served in the Korean war and earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. He was an educator, world traveler, and a writer of short novels and poetry. He is survived by his wife, Virginia and five grandchildren. Posted 6.28.18
Dan P. Whitaker of Tennessee died August 8. He was 84. Dan served in the Unites States Air force during the Korean Conflict. He then attended Memphis State University before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt, where he was a member of the Vanderbilt Law Review. In 1963, he moved to Lewisburg to begin the practice of law with Shelby Haywood, forming the law firm of Haywood and Whitaker. He engaged in a busy practice and established a reputation as a fierce trial lawyer and dedicated advocate, serving the Marshall County community and the State of Tennessee for 52 years. He also served as legal counsel for the Lewisburg Water and Wastewater Board for 31 years. Dan was a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, the Marshall County Bar Association, and served on the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee. He is survived by his wife, Gwendolyn and five children.Posted 8.17.17
David Early Caywood (BA’59) of Memphis, died September 7. He was 79. After law school, David moved to Memphis and joined the firm of Burch Porter & Johnson. In April of 1968, he was part of the team of lawyers led by his then-father-in-law, who represented Dr. Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the Memphis Sanitation Strike. Later that year, David received the Newspaper Guild’s “Citizen of the Year” award for his contributions attempting to settle the strike and calm the city in the wake of the assassination of Dr. King. In 1970, he founded his own law firm and continued as a trial lawyer, focusing on family law. He was a member of the American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, and the Memphis Bar Association. He was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and the first member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in the State of Tennessee. In 2011, the University of Memphis Law School honored him with the “Pillar of Excellence” Award, and in 2013 he became president of the Leo Bearman Inn of Court. Posted 9.15.16
Ben Kingree III (BA’56) died March 6. He was 80. Ben was a Tennessee native. He served in the U.S. Marines before law school, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and an associate editor of the Law Review. Ben became a partner with Bobo Tarply & Kingree in Shelbyville, Tennessee, before moving to Atlanta. There he joined Carter & Ansley where he became a senior partner. He is survived by his wife and their four children. Posted 5.20.15
Paul Kent Harrell (Kent) died June 19, 2014. Kent was a well-respected CPA partner with KraftCPAs and a community leader for numerous organizations. He will be greatly missed by his loving wife, Becky, and their three children. Posted 7.16.14
Edwin R. Render died January 4 in Louisville, Kentucky. For 45 years, from 1968 to December 2013, he was a member of the faculty of the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, where he taught property, evidence, and labor law. He was an active member of the Louisville and American Bar Associations, the Louisville Labor Management Committee, the American Arbitration Association, and the National Academy of Arbitrators. He was on the Executive Board of the U.S. Branch of the International Society of Labor Law and Social Security. For many years he was an active arbitrator; on one occasion determining the winner of the Indianapolis 500 auto race. He was a founding member of the Brandeis School of Law's Carl A. Warns Labor and Employment Law Institute, and supervised it for many years. Edwin is survived by his wife of 55 years, Joyce M. Render; his son; and four grandchildren. Posted 1.14.13
Carl K. Kirkpatrick Jr. (BA'59) died November 26. Carl was the District Attorney General in the Second Judicial District of Sullivan County for 28 years. In 1993, Carl was appointed by President Clinton to serve as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. He served in this capacity with distinction until 2000. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen. Posted 12.13.13
Robert P. Ziegler, age 77, died September 17. Bob was born and raised in Nashville, where he attended Woodmont Grammar School and the Old Duncan Preparatory School. Bob served his country in the United States Marine Corp during the Korean conflict, and he returned to the U.S. where, upon his discharge, he attended Tennessee Tech before earning his law degree at Vanderbilt Law School. Upon graduation, Bob practiced law with honor and distinction in Nashville until his death. Bob was a member of Belmont United Methodist Church and he was a member of many professional and social organizations. Pallbearers at a service honoring Bob included Aubrey Harwell Jr. (BA'64, JD'67) and honorary pallbearers included Vince Wehby (LLB'61). Bob is survived by his wife, Patricia McKnight; two step-daughters; three step-grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews. Posted 9.24.12
Charles H.M. Beatty Jr. (BA'62), of Silver Spring, Maryland, died May 17. Charlie is survived by two sons; and three grandchildren. Posted 9.13.12
David Caywood '62 reflects on 50 years in law - Daily News - Memphis Law Talk - January 26, 2012 - David Caywood, who owns his own law practice in Memphis, was profiled in the Memphis Daily News. Caywood established his own legal practice focusing on divorce cases in 1970. Posted 1.27.12
D. Austin Stubblefiled II, 73, died unexpectedly in his sleep December 10, 2010. He was a resident of Collierville, TN, where he moved from Miami three years ago in order to be near his daughter and granddaughter. Austin graduated from Vanderbilt University as an undergraduate and from Vanderbilt Law School. There he met his wife of 49 years, Harriet Henderson Stubblefield. He practiced law in Kentucky for ten years before becoming a vice-president of Holiday Inns. He then went into business for himself, owning companies that dealt with real estate and with financial services. He was known as a gentleman and a generous mentor to others in their own business careers. Austin was an enthusiastic traveler and visited several continents. He was active over the years in various civic organizations as well as the Episcopal Church. He enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow members of the International Wine and Food Society, both in Miami and in Memphis. He currently served on the Board of Governors for North America for that organization. He is survived by his wife and his daughter and granddaughter. Posted 12.15.10
Phillip Lyle Brooke, age 71, died November 12, 2008, in Jackson, Mississippi, after a long illness. Phillip was born in Joliet, IL and he graduated from Joliet Township High School. He is the son of the late Lyle Thomas Brooke and Dorothy Bell Brooke of Joliet; brother of George Brooke (Elodie) of Kirkwood, MO and Bruce Brooke (Sue) of Memphis, TN. He is survived by two daughters, Ashley Brooke and Louisa Brooke of Dallas, TX, several cousins, nephews, and a niece. Phillip graduated with honors from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1959, majoring in chemistry, and with honors from Vanderbilt Law School. He was a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity and the fencing team. He worked several years as a patent lawyer for Procter & Gamble Corporation in Cincinnati, OH before engaging in private practice in Memphis, TN as a partner with the former law firms of Rosenfield, Borod, Fones & Bogatin and Williams, Benham, Darden, McNeil & Brooke. He later served as general counsel for W. R. Grace Companies' chemical division in Memphis. He is a former member of the American Bar Association, Tennessee and Shelby County Bar Associations, and he enjoyed an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. In addition to being an accomplished pianist, he was fond of sailing, chess and reading a good book. The family requests that any memorials be sent to the donor's favorite charity or Calvary Rescue Mission of Memphis, TN. Services were November 15 at the Elmhurst Cemetery Chapel in Joliet. Posted 12.2.08
Wm. Donald Overbey, 70, of Murray, Kentucky, died September 8, 2007, at his home following an extended illness. Mr. Overbey was an attorney at law and also a member of The First United Methodist Church. He was admitted to the bar and began practicing law in Murray in 1962. His academic achievements include an A.B. degree from Murray State University in 1959, a Juris Doctorate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1962, including the Vanderbilt University Law Review from 1960-62. He served as a Murray city prosecutor from 1965-1969 and 1974-1975, city judge from 1970-1974, city attorney from 1981-2004, attorney for the Murray Board of Education from 1971-2001, and assistant county attorney under Randy Hutchens from 1999-2002. Mr. Overbey was a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, original member of the continuing legal education commission trial judge, and was also a member of the Calloway County Bar Association. Surviving are his wife, Sue Overbey of Murray; a daughter, Stacy Overbey Vaccani of Zollikon, Switzerland; two sons, Mark William Overbey of Atlanta and Jonathan Charles Overbey of Carlsbad, California, and five grandchildren.
James Epps III, municipal attorney of Johnson City, Tennessee died at home October 19, 2007, after a long battle with cancer. He was 71. With more than 40 years representing Johnson City, he was the longest-serving municipal attorney in the state and among the longest tenured in the nation.
Class of 1963
The Hon. W. Baldwin Ogden died Monday, April 25, at his home surrounded by his wife and her family. Baldwin spent good times hiking, biking, and skiing, but he especially loved sailing on Lake Michigan, and wintering at Long Boat Key, Florida and Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Posted 5.9.22
Robert G. Johnston died November 24, 2020 in Jackson, Mississippi. Read his full obituary here. Posted 1.25.21
John G. Doak, Sr. (BA ’60) died Nov.20, 2017. A Nashville native, John graduated fourth in his class from law school, where he was a member of the Vanderbilt Law Review and inducted into the Order of the Coif. He served in Vietnam as a pilot and attained the rank of Major in the Tennessee National Guard. Admitted to the Bar in 1963, he worked as a research assistant for Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Weldon White and as analyst for the Tennessee Legislative Council Committee before entering private practiced with the firm of Warfield Entrekin and Jones. After the firm dissolved, he moved to Donelson and started his own firm and over the years had several associates. He recently retired as a sole practitioner. He was chair of Community Education Advisory Council for Metro Schools in 1995, chartered and served as chair of the Luton Mental Health Center in Nashville, and chartered the Percy Priest Sports Fishing Club. John did pro bono work for every church he was involved in, for U.S. military personnel and those in need who couldn't afford a lawyer. John is survived by his wife, Mary, five children, and three grandchildren. Posted 12.15.17
Frederick F. Ehrsam Jr. died March 6. He was 79. He received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. Frederick owned his own law practice in Trumbull, Connecticut. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Brown Ehrsam, three children and six grandchildren. Posted 3.22.17
Pierce Winningham (BA ’60) died August 4 in Georgia after an extended illness. He spent his legal career in Nashville. He is survived by four children and several grandchildren. Posted 8.23.16
Robert S. Benham (BA’61) has been appointed as a new member of the board of trustees for William Sansum Diabetes Center in Santa Barbara, CA. Robert worked in Memphis, TN in private practice before serving as a probate court judge for 15 years. Posted 5.23.16
Lew Conner (BA’60) , who practices as counsel with the Nashville office of Waller, received the Nashville Bar Association’s (NBA) John C. Tune Public Service Award. Lew served for four years as a judge on the Tennessee Court of Appeals and has practiced law in Nashville for 45 years. He has also served as chief justice of Tennessee’s Special Supreme Court when the validity of the then-existing court was challenged in 1979. He was also a pioneering mediator in the early 1990s and has since medicated more than 800 disputes. Lew also served as NBA president in 1987. Posted 12.17.15
Robert G. Johnston was honored by the Bolivar County Law Association for his fifty years of service. He serves as city prosecutor in the municipal court of Cleveland. Posted 12.3.15
Thomas H. Peebles III died May 9 in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 80 years old. Tom was a member of the Law Review at Vanderbilt Law School, and after graduation he practiced with Trabue, Sturdivant, and DeWitt for 39 years until his retirement. He served as president of the Nashville Bar Association in 1983 and was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Tom is survived by his wife and three sons. Posted 5.15.15
Carlton B. Tarkington died January 20. He was 78. A Nashville native, Tarkington graduated from Vanderbilt’s Peabody College in 1959 before applying to Vanderbilt Law School at the suggestion of a family friend and mentor, Judge Benson Trimble of Davidson County’s Fourth Circuit Court. He was not only admitted, but was also awarded a scholarship. After law school, Tarkington had a successful sales career with West Publishing and then founded a boutique investment firm, Edinburgh Investments, at which he continued to work until shortly before his death. His son, Bruce Tarkington (BA’98), joined the firm after his graduation from Vanderbilt Law School in 2001. Read more. Posted 1.26.15
Vincent K. Hubbard (BA'60) died March 4, after an extended illness and injury. He was an accomplished attorney, author, and lifelong learner. Vincent lived in numerous countries, loving the island of Nevis. He established a number of businesses and lived life to its fullest. Posted 3.25.14
Harvey C. Couch III (MA'62), retired Professor of Law at Tulane University, died November 7. Harvey graduated from Hendrix College before receiving his masters and law degrees from Vanderbilt. He clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, practiced law in Little Rock, Arkansas, and was an instructor at the University of Michigan Law School before coming to Tulane. He is the author of A Brief History of the Fifth Circuit 1891-1981. An avid reader and Anglophile, Harvey touched the lives of countless acquaintances, colleagues, and former students with his intelligence, wit, and kind, gentle heart. He is survived by his beloved wife, Duane Eagan Couch; three sons; one daughter; and five grandchildren. Posted 11.14.13
Larimore Burton Jr., age 75, of Brentwood, Tennessee, died November 29, 2012. Larry is survived by his wife, Patty; three daughters; and two grandsons. Posted 3.1.13
Robert Martin Harper of Auburn, Ala., died peacefully at his home on Dec. 22, 2011, after a long battle with lymphoma. He was surrounded by family. Judge Harper was a prominent member of the Lee County community. He was elected Circuit Judge for Lee County in 1986 and served three terms before his retirement on Jan. 1, 2005. Judge Harper was born in Opelika, Ala., on April 16, 1938, the son of the late Martin Gilmer Harper and Kathryn Summers Harper Rush. He graduated from Auburn High School in 1956 and Auburn University in 1960. At Auburn, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, Scabbard & Blade, Delta Sigma Pi, Plainsman staff and a Distinguished Military Graduate. He attended Vanderbilt University Law School for one year, and graduated from the University of Alabama Law School in 1963. While there, he was a member of the Alabama Law Review, Bench & Bar Legal Honorary and Phi Alpha Delta. Following law school, he served three years in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps and was Honorably Discharged with the rank of Captain. He then served as a law clerk to Alabama Supreme Court Justice John L. Goodwyn for a year before joining a Mobile, Ala., law firm. Three years later, he moved to Birmingham, Ala., and practiced law there for four years before returning to Auburn, where he started his own firm, Harper & Meadows. During that time, he served as part-time Assistant District Attorney, Lee County Bar Commissioner and president of the Lee County Bar Association. After his retirement from the bench, Judge Harper practiced law with the firm of Haygood, Cleveland and Pierce for two years. At the request of the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, he then accepted an assignment as a special Circuit Judge for Shelby County, Ala., where he continued to serve for nearly four years assisting the judges there in keeping pace with a large docket in that fast-growing county. He founded the Hat in the Ring Club, was a member of the Lee County Kiwanis Club and served on the board of directors for Auburn National Bank. Judge Harper was a loving father and devoted husband, brother, uncle and friend. Judge Harper is survived by his wife, Sheree Farrar Harper; daughter, Kathryn Harper Doss (Alex) of Auburn; brother Vandy Harper (Marie) of Auburn; sisters Mary Fraser Harper Torres (Bryan) of Dadeville and Kathryn Rush Hoffman (Shawn) of Seattle, WA; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; Dee Dee Harper, the mother of Kathryn; and his beloved dogs, Haylee and Murphy. Posted 1.10.12
William Crutchfield, Jr., of Chattanooga, passed away April 30, 2011, after a lengthy battle with illness. A lifelong resident of Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain, Bill was the son of noted local architect and artist William Crutchfield and Mary Mitchell Crutchfield whose ancestors were pioneer families in Chattanooga. Bill graduated with honors from Baylor School and became one of the earlier under-graduate Morehead Scholars at the University of North Carolina. After earning his JD at Vanderbilt, he began law practice with Chambliss Chambliss & Hodge in 1963, then took a leave of absence for military service. He was a Judge Advocate with the 7th Infantry Division in Korea and spent his final three years of active duty as Depot Judge Advocate of Anniston Alabama Army Depot. He was also an Honor Graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. His love for the military continued until his retirement with the rank of colonel. Bill returned to active practice with the same firm in 1968 and was a partner for many years. He is survived by his wife, Pat; his son, Neal Crutchfield; his daughter, Mary Katherine Harper; six grandsons; a granddaughter; and a great-granddaughter. Posted 5.5.11
Stephen Daniel Keeffe died peacefully June 26 at Manor Care in Bethesda, Maryland at the age of 74 after a valiant two-year battle with cancer. Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Ithaca, New York, he earned a B.A. in political science from George Washington University before earning his law degree at Vanderbilt. He had a private law practice in Washington, D.C. for over 35 years. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Mary Ann; two sons, and two daughters. Posted 7.6.10
Wallace Stuart McCloy Jr. died peacefully at his home on December 15, 2008. He was 70. Stuart graduated from Princeton University before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. He was an avid tennis player who won the Tennessee state championship at age 15, played at Princeton, and continued to play with many Memphis friends. Stuart attained the rank of Captain in the United States Army and then practiced as an attorney in Memphis. His love of great literature accompanied him throughout his life, and he wrote many original plays and poems. Stuart is survived by his five children - Susan Crosby McCloy, Wallace Stuart McCloy III, Elisabeth Keenon McCloy, Wilson Walker McCloy, Margaret Mary Elise McCloy, as well as a step-daughter, Elizabeth McCloy Thompson, and three grandchildren.
Thomas Morombe Black passed away June 3, 2006.
Sylvan Ray Zbinden died peacefully May 10, 2006. He was born July 4, 1938, to Mildred and Louis Zbinden of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was a graduate of McCallie School, Chattanooga; Rhodes College, Memphis, where he was a Kappa Alpha; and Vanderbilt Law School, Nashville.
Class of 1964
William F. "Bill" McGowan Jr. 85, of Tampa Florida passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 11. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Spoto McGowan; children, George Marshall McGowan and Gina Barbara McGowan (Thomas Williams). Posted 9.19.22
Herbert Veal Hammett Jr. of Fayetteville, Georgia passed away on April 22. He served 8 years in the United States Army as a member of the JAG Corps where he saw deployment in Vietnam and earned the Bronze Star Medal. He is survived by his wife of 60 years Julia Gray Hammett; children Edward Gray Hammett (Deborah), and Leslie Hammett Jones. Read his full obituary here. Posted 6.6.22
Jerry Calvin Leek , 82, of South Canton Road, Potsdam, NY, died Monday, January 10th, at United Helpers Maplewood, Canton, NY. Jerry loved the outdoors and was full of life. He enjoyed skiing, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, tennis, playing guitar and singing. Jerry served in the US Armed forces from 1965-1970 and was a JAG Officer in the US Army. He was stationed for two years in Korea followed by three years in Germany, where he rose to the rank of Major and prosecuted Nazi war criminals. Following his time in the military, Jerry resided in Staten Island and worked as an attorney for Merrill Lynch on Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. Posted 1.31.22
Bruce Shine, 83, died on Monday, December 6, 2021. A nationally recognized labor and employment law attorney, legal scholar and civic leader. Bruce was active in political, educational and community affairs, and had practiced law in Kingsport since 1967. Betsy Shine survives as do his three sons, James Vincent Shine of Chicago, Commander Edward Magoffin Shine, USN (Ret.) of Chesapeake, VA, David Bruce Shine, Jr. of Rocky Mount, NC. Posted 1.31.22
Judge Hamilton “Kip” Gayden has announced his retirement from the bench effective Jan 31, 2022. Gayden, 82, has been a state trial court judge for 47 years, the longest tenure in the county’s history. He expects to spend more time with his children and grandchildren, all of whom live out of state. Posted 11.12.21
Elmer Duncan Hamner, Jr. a kind, gentle, humble, and generous man, passed away peacefully on September 14, surrounded by his loving family. Duncan is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Trish, his four children, Clarissa Murphy (Kevin), Marion “Midge” McHugh (Bill), William Duncan “Chip”, and Madelon “Mimi” DelFratte-Hale (Mike). Read his full obituary here. Posted 10.18.21
James Timothy White and Ruth Campbell White donated to the Martin Library Foundation. Read more here. Posted 12.10.19
Robert Ellis Taylor , "Bob" died February 6th. He was age 89. Bob served as City Attorney, Commonwealths Attorney, Trial Commissioner and the Planning and Zoning attorney of Franklin KY. He was also attorney for the Simpson County Water District for 50 years. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Virginia Walkley Taylor; two sons, Robert Ellis Taylor, III and Sean Bennett Taylor and a sister, Tanya Taylor. Posted 2.12.19
James K. Nelson, “Jim” died May 24th. Jim attended Vanderbilt where he played on the freshman football team as halfback and was written up as "the surprise of Vanderbilt's spring football drills". He earned his bachelor’s in 1961. He then continued on to the Law School where he participated in the Vanderbilt Law Review. After law school, Jim was called into service in the U.S. Army. His first assignment was in the Armor Division and shortly after was transferred to the 1st Special Forces Group – Airborne, serving in Vietnam. On his second tour he worked with Vietnamese hill people who were "still in the 1800's" and whom he admired for their honesty and fighting skills. Returning from Vietnam, Jim clerked in the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals for the renowned Judge Harry Phillips. Business law followed with the highly regarded firm of Taft, Stettinius, Hollister in Cincinnati. Jim continued in real estate law with First National Bank of Chicago where he described his occupation as International Real Estate Attorney. Condominium conversion was a new field, and he then joined a pioneering firm in Chicago as Counsel which converted luxury East Coast apartment buildings to condominiums. Upon retirement he moved to San Francisco where he took up tennis which led to studying umpiring and refereeing. Jim worked his way up to officiating at the U.S. Open and working there for 6 years. He is survived by his wife, Jan Minar. Posted 8.1.17
Frank D. Allen Jr. of Washington, D.C. died August 11. He was 78. Frank earned his B.A. from Millsaps College before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. He was an attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice beginning in the 1960s and much later with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Most recently, he was a sole practitioner on Capitol Hill. He is survived by his wife, MaryLee, and son, Sean. Posted 9.15.16
Charles Andrew Farrell, Jr. of Arlington, MA died March 7. He was a graduate of Babson College and served in the US Army and National Guard receiving a medal for marksmanship. He attended Vanderbilt Law School and later attained a master's degree in education. Charles is survived by his sisters, brother-in-law and nephew. Posted 4.5.16
John Bradbury Reed of Nashville died Feb. 2. He was 91. He attended Vanderbilt Law School, where he edited the law review and was the Founder’s Medalist for the Class of 1964. He taught at the law school from 1964 to 1972. Following his admission to the bar in 1964, Brad joined the law firm of Bass Berry & Sims, where he practiced for more than 50 years. He finished his career with Riley Warnock & Jacobson. Brad served a wide range of organizations including NLT Corp., Kentucky Fried Chicken and J. Alexander’s, as well as the Junior League of Nashville, which honored him with its Community Service Award in 2003. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Hels MA’82, PHD’87, three children, three grandchildren, brother and four nephews. Posted 2.25.16
Robert W. Dickey has written a book, Goliath of Panama: The Life of Soldier and Canal Builder William Luther Sibert (2015, Acclaim Press) that provides a look into Sibert’s accomplishments, from his work on the Panama Canal to his numerous other achievements at home and abroad. Robert has authored several other books, all focused on historical subjects and personalities. Posted 9.17.15
Duncan Hamner, Jr. (BA’59) was recently honored at the Florida Bar’s 50-Year member celebration at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Duncan lives in Green Cove Springs, Florida. Posted 7.8.15
John R. Parker (BA'61) died January 21. He was 75. John was a Tennessee native and attended Vanderbilt both for his undergraduate and law degrees. He is survived by his two children. Posted 3.24.15
Lynn Haskell White, age 77, died November 16 in Nashville. Lynn was a native and life-long resident of Rutherford County. He is survived by his wife, Joyce A. White and three step sons. Posted 1.2.15
Fred Bryan Simpson died August 5 at his home in Huntsville, Alabama. Fred grew up in Calera, Alabama, with his mother and five siblings. At sixteen, he lied about his age in order to join the Air Force, where he served until he was twenty-one, stationed for the majority of that time in Japan. He then returned to Birmingham, where he worked nights as a police officer and attended classes during the day at Howard College (now Samford University), graduating in 1961. As soon as he graduated from college, Fred married Peggy Ann Hollaway and they moved to Nashville for Fred to attend Vanderbilt Law School. Fred and Peggy moved to Huntsville in 1964 in order for Fred to practice law. He was an investigator for the US Army at Redstone Arsenal for a year. From 1965-1969, he practiced law at Morring, Giles, and Watson. In 1969, Governor Albert Brewer appointed Fred to be the District Attorney of Madison County. He subsequently won two more elections and served as DA until 1981, and served as president of the Alabama District Attorneys Association. While in office, he was instrumental in getting the first state laws written against drunk driving and against child abuse. As a prosecutor, Fred tried over sixty murder cases. When he left the DA's office, Fred walked across the street and set out his shingle on the North Side Square, where he specialized in criminal law for another 25 years. Remarkably, he won acquittals for clients in two different capital murder cases. After one of those acquittals, he was recognized in June of 2002 by the Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association for outstanding legal representation in a criminal case. Fred published three books. The first The Sins of Madison County is about lynchings that occurred in Madison County, Alabama. The second, Murder in the Heart of Dixie, is about capital murder cases in Madison County from 1904-1996. For the third book, A Walk Through Downtown Huntsville-Then and Now, Fred used stacks of old photographs taken in downtown Huntsville at the turn of the century. He determined exactly where the photographer was standing when the photo was taken, as well as the time of day and time of year. He recreated those photographs from the same location and published them side by side. In addition to being an author, Fred was also an accomplished artist. His charcoals and oil paintings can be found all over the Madison County courthouse, in his office, and in the homes of his family. One of his paintings of downtown Huntsville was recognized by the Huntsville Museum of Art. He is survived by his wife, Peggy, and four children. Posted 8.12.2014
James P. Stavros was honored by the Kentucky Bar Association for having spent 50 years practicing law. The ceremony took place Friday, June 20 in Covington. After law school, Jim joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serving as special agent in Cleveland and New York City. After three years, he returned to his hometown, Ashland, Kentucky, to practice law. He and his wife, Suzanne, are the parents of Peter and Cathy, who are both attorneys. Jim said he has no intention of retiring anytime soon. He said his health is excellent, which he attributes to his ritual of walking three or four miles a day, including to and from his office most days. Posted 7.16.14
William C. Wilson died December 1. He was employed by First Tennessee Bank in Memphis in the bank's trust division until his retirement. He was the youngest of seven siblings and is survived by two brothers and many nieces and nephews. Posted 12.13.13
D. Bruce Shine, a Kingsport, Tennessee, attorney, spent part of November in Israel and Jordan in his capacity as a director of the Gen. Raymond Davis Templar Foundation, which sponsors educational scholarships for the children of Arab Christians living in Palestine. Additionally, Bruce, who also serves as Honorary Consul for the Republic of Malta for Tennessee and North Carolina, attended foreign ministry meetings with Malta's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in Valletta in August. Posted 11.7.13
J. L. (Jack) Thompson III, age 74, died October 4. Jack graduated from Rhodes College before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School. He practiced law in Nashville and surrounding counties for 48 years. Jack was a dedicated lawyer and a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend. He served his community as a Boy Scout leader and as an elder in the Presbyterian Church of America. He and his wife of 52 years, Emma Young Thompson, hosted hundreds of outings and picnics at the Thompson Farm in Ashland City. He traveled to 20 countries as a missionary with World Missions. Jack is survived by his wife, Emma; two sons; and 18 grandchildren. Posted 10.10.13
Ned. A. Stewart Jr. (BA'61) has retired after 48 years in the legal field, the past 20 of which he spent serving as the Texarkana, Arkansas, city attorney. After earning his law degree from Vanderbilt, Ned took a position in Little Rock as a junior law clerk for U.S. District Judge J. Smith Henley. He was later appointed to be a U.S. assistant attorney in Fort Smith, Arkansas, a position he held until 1968 when he made his way back to Texarkana, to practice with the law firm Arnold and Arnold. In the early 1970's Ned went into private practice. In 1979, Stewart made his way back to Fort Smith to become a U.S. magistrate. During this time, he presided over the court system set up in Fort Chaffee, where many Cubans were detained following the Mariel boatlift that occurred in 1980. In 1987, Ned once again returned to Texarkana. He joined the firm Autrey and Autrey, and has served Texarkana ever since. In 1993, he became the city attorney for the Texarkana, Arkansas, Board of Directors and has helped with various city issues. Ned and his wife, Kathy, will remain in the area for the time being. Posted 1.5.13
Judge Hamilton V. Gayden (BA'61) is profiled in the March 2012 edition of the Nashville Bar Journal. Written by Bart Pickett, the profile highlights Judge Gayden's judicial career, which began in General Sessions Court, a seat to which he was appointed by then-Tennessee Governor Winfield Dunn. Judge Gayden ran successfully for a seat on Tennessee's First Circuit Court in 1978 and has served on the court continuously since then. He plans to run for reelection in 2014. Judge Gayden has been in charge of all Middle Tennessee mental health committals since 1982 and holds mental health hearings at area prisons. He is the author of two novels-A Circle Across and Miscarriage of Justice-and is currently writing a third novel. He and his wife, Paulette, have two sons, a daughter and one grandson. Posted 4.3.12
J. Roy Weathersby of Asheville, North Carolina, died August 13. He was 75. Raised in Memphis, he graduated with a civil engineering degree from University of Tennessee. After earning his law degree at Vanderbilt, he specialized in labor and employment law and practiced for 40 years in Atlanta and throughout the U.S.. Roy was a life member of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia and served for a time as the organization's general counsel. He also served as labor counsel to the Atlanta Olympic Games. He is survived by his wife, Lydia, and two sons. Posted 10.18.11
Robert Dickey recently released a new book, Greyhound to Vegas: The Odyssey of Hilda Reynolds Krause. Robert is also the author of Dynasty of Dimes, Eccentric Entrepreneur Engineers Empire, and Near Misses: Growing Up in Bowling Green with World War 2, Fledgling Femme Fatales and Fallible Football Fortunes. Greyhound was recently reviewed by the Bowling Green Daily News. Posted 10.17.11
Lon F. "Sonny" West (AS 1961), who became one of Metro Nashville government's biggest storehouses of institutional memory while working there for more than 55 years, died March 5, 2011 of kidney cancer. He was 73. Sonny started working for Davidson County on June 1, 1955, then worked for Metro after the city and county governments merged in 1963. He became the Metro zoning administrator in 1986. The Metro Council voted last month to name the auditorium at the new Howard Office Building for him, who is survived by his wife, Barbara, as well as four sons, one daughter and two stepdaughters. Posted 3.14.11
A Harrison "Harry" Johnson died May 1, 2010, in Nashville. Harry earned his undergraduate degree at the University of the South. After earning his law degree at Vanderbilt, he had a long, successful career in real estate law. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Mary; their two children, and two grandchildren. Posted 5.7.10
Warren Pengilley is an emeritus professor of law at at the University of Newcastle, Australia. Professor Pengilley, who received an LL.B. at Sydney before earning his J.D. at Vanderbilt, is a fellow in the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants and the author of more than 20 books and 300 refereed articles. He is married with two grown children, Andrew, a doctor specializing in emergency medicine, and Tara, an emergency medicine nurse.
Walker Taylor Tipton (VU '60) died July 18, 2009, in Germantown. He served as an Assistant State Attorney General, and served two terms on the Board of Mayor and Alderman for City of Covington. He served as a Special Justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court. He was also a member of the board of directors of the Covington Electric System Board for 25 years, part of which he served as chair. He was a Charter Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, was on the Board of Directors for First State Bank and served as Tipton County School Board Attorney. He leaves his wife, Ann, two daughters, and four grandchildren. Posted 10.31.09
D. Bruce Shine of the Kingsport, Tennessee, law firm Shine & Mason, has been named by Governor Phil Bredesen as one of three candidates for the Supreme Court vacancy created by the impending departure of current Chief Justice William M. Barker, who is set to retire on Sept. 15. Posted 8.26.08
Judge Hamilton Gayden's novel, Miscarriage of Justice, was released on February 10, 2007. His novel - a historical fiction / murder mystery about a murder/ambush involving a love triangle that occurred in Nashville in 1913 - was published by Center Street, a division of the Hachette Book Company, the successor to Time-Warner Books.
Russell Franklin Morris Jr., a Nashville attorney, age 67, died December 17, 2006. Russ earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt. He spent his entire career at Bass Berry & Sims where he became a senior partner and nationally recognized labor law specialist. He is survived by his wife, Hennie Benedict Morris, three children and seven grandchildren.
Charles McCallum has been named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TerraLex, a global network of independent law firms.
Class of 1965
A Time Past, Or What Might Have Been . . . The Odyssey of Norman Lane chronicles the journey of the Vanderbilt English major and member of the Class of 1965 who joined the Marines and went to war. Authored by Al Claiborne (BA’74), the book is available on Amazon.com in both color paperback and Kindle eBook versions.
The Norman Lane Jr. Memorial Project, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, has completed eight years of work toward its mission of promoting a deeper comprehension of the Vietnam War. The nonprofit was established to recognize the life of 1st Lt. Norman Lane Jr.; a Vanderbilt graduate (BA’62) and member of the Class of 1965, he was killed in action on March 29, 1968 while serving with the Marine Corps in Vietnam. Read the full press release here. Posted 2.13.23
Kenneth W. Sain passed away June 18th at the age of 85. He is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Sharon (née King), three children Ken (Lindsey) Sain, Kelly (Derek) Scully and Karolee (Chris) Keller. Posted 7.25.22
Judge Sidney H. McCollum, 82, passed away peacefully in Little Rock on Tuesday, April 13. Sid will be remembered for his sharp and persistent wit, natural leadership skills, dedication to the service of others and flair for the dramatic. It is also said that puns run in the family. Sid would say they practically gallop. He is survived by his wife Kay, daughter Alison (Dale) and son, Robert. Read his full obituary here. Posted 4.18.22
Joseph R. Manning passed away January 11th, 2022. Posted 1.31.22
The Honorable Alan Ewing Glenn, 79, recently retired Judge of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals, Western Division, died unexpectedly November 4th, following a heart-related illness. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Minna, and their son, Andrew, both of Memphis. Posted 11.11.21
Mr. C. Thomas Cates passed away peacefully on December 23, 2020, of cancer. Tom Cates was born on July 24, 1941 in Memphis, Tennessee, to parents Charles and Mary Evelyn Cates. He graduated from Memphis State University in 1963 and Vanderbilt Law School in 1965, where he was on the Law Review and the Order of the Coif. He served in the Army Reserves and was honorably discharged. As much as Tom was known for his legal and professional skills, he was also renowned for his skill as a gardener and outdoorsman. He was eager to share the bounty of vegetables he grew and to advise others of the secrets of his gardening success. Posted 5.6.21
Mr. Ira Stephen North, Sr. died peacefully in his home on December 28, 2020. He was 79 years old, and he was most commonly known as Steve. Steve North was an attorney for over 50 years, and he served a full eight-year term as a Circuit Court Judge. He also served as a part-time preacher and Sunday School teacher for over 50 years. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather and great-grandfather, an uncle, a brother and a friend. He was a good man. Read his full obituary here. Posted 5.6.21
David B. King went to be with his Creator after a short battle with cancer on Friday, December 18, 2020, surrounded by the family who adored him. As a husband and father, he was a model to all who knew him. As a friend, he was caring and concerned. As a member of a community, he valued what was right and what was fair. David was a brilliant litigator. Over a 55-year legal career, he handled complex commercial litigation, personal injury, and wrongful death cases in state and federal courts. Read his full obituary here. Posted 2.15.21
John H. Frye III, of Irvington, Virginia passed away on October 9, 2020. John graduated from Davidson College, served a tour of duty with Army Intelligence in Baltimore, MD, and received his law degree from Vanderbilt University. Read his full obituary here. Posted 1.14.21.
Walter Winn Davis 76, passed away at his home on 10-8-20. Mr. Davis received his B.A. degree in Economics and Business Administration in 1965 and a Juris Doctor degree in 1968, both from Vanderbilt University. Read his full obituary here. Posted 1.14.21
Riley C. Darnell of Clarksville, who served 22 years in the Tennessee General Assembly and 16 years as Secretary of State, died October 2, 2020. Read his full obituary here. Posted 1.12.21
William Landis Turner, age 79, passed Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia following a brief illness. Read his full obituary here. Posted 9.17.20
Thomas Dunlevy Yeaglin, a longtime resident of Germantown, Tennessee, died December 3, 2019 after a long illness. Read his full obituary here. Posted 2.18.20
Comer Lewis Donnell of Lebanon, Tennessee, died Oct. 24. Comer served as Lebanon City Attorney, Watertown City Attorney, Wilson County Attorney and director of Petroleum Taxes for the State of Tennessee. In 1989 he was appointed and later elected Public Defender of the Fifteenth Judicial District; he served until Nov. 1, 2018. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Anne Evans Donnell, and two sons. Posted 12.3.19
The honorable Justice Frank Drowota III died April 15. He was 79. Frank graduated from Montgomery Bell Academy in 1956 and Vanderbilt University in 1960. He served as an officer in the navy on the USS Shangri-La from 1960-1962. Returning from the navy, he received his law degree from Vanderbilt. At the age of 31, he was appointed as the youngest Chancellor of the Davidson County Chancery Court and served from 1970 to 1974. He served on the Tennessee Civil Court of Appeals from 1974 to 1980. In 1980 he was elected to the Tennessee Supreme Court, becoming the youngest justice to ever sit on that court. He served until 2005, when he retired as Chief Justice. His tenure on the court was the second longest in Tennessee history. He is survived by his wife, Claire, his two children and five grandchildren. Posted 5.9.18
Judge Billy Roy Wilson has handled several cases in Nashville and Columbia during 2017. The handling of these cases is a part of his day job. Meanwhile, he is the head swamper of the Wye Mountain Branch of the internationally famous Rasputin Mule Farm, which sits atop Wye Mountain in western Pulaski County, Arkansas. Posted 11.27.17
Landis Turner has been elected president of the 1,700 member Tennessee Association of County Commissioners. Posted 8.28.17
Bradford M. “Buck” Gearinger, of Akron, Ohio died May 30. He graduated from the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee before earning his J.D. from Vanderbilt. He then served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps from 1965 through 1968 attaining the rank of major USMCR. In 1968, he joined the law firm of Buckingham, Doolittle and Burroughs and became a member of the Akron Bar Association. He did insurance civil defense work from 1968 to 1979. In 1979, he joined his law partner, Timothy Scanlon, to form the firm of Scanlon and Gearinger Co., where he practiced plaintiff's personal injury tort litigation from 1979 to 2006. He then served as of-counsel with the law firm of Hill Hardman, retiring in September 2011. He served as president of the Akron Bar Association from 1988-1989 and received the Akron Bar Association Professionalism Award in 1998. He was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and International Society of Barristers. He was predeceased by his daughter, Hally Gearinger Robinson and is survived by his wife, Paula; son, Brian Gearinger; daughter-in-law, Jane Yang; and son-in-law, Luke Robinson. He is further survived by three wonderful grandchildren, Victoria Belle Robinson, Owen Bradford Robinson and Gale Bradford Gearinger. Posted 6.16.17
Robert B. Rubin of Birmingham died January 12. He was 76. He earned his B.A. from Memphis State University before earning his LLB from Vanderbilt. Robert was a Charter Fellow, Class One, Regent and Director of the American College of Bankruptcy, and was affiliated with the American Bankruptcy Institute, Turnaround Management Association, American Bar Association, and Commercial Law League of America. He served as an adjunct professor for the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, Birmingham School of Law, and University of Alabama School of Law. He also served on the faculty of the LSU Graduate School of Banking, and as a lecturer for the PESI and Lorman Educational Systems, and Mississippi and Mid-South Bankruptcy Conferences. He is survived by his four sons and five grandchildren. Posted 1.23.17
Vicky Martin Horzempa of Huntsville, Alabama died August 27. She was 77. Vicky earned a bachelor of science degree in political science from Randolph Macon Women’s College and continued her education at the University of Alabama and Birmingham Southern, before earning her law degree from Vanderbilt. She had a career in sales with Martin’s Grill Meats and the Jolly Green Thumb. She is survived by her husband, Martin Horzempa, son, and grandson. Posted 9.15.16
Alden H. Smith Jr. (BA’53) of Nashville died Feb. 25, 2016. He was 84. After graduating from Montgomery Bell Academy, Alden went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt, where he was member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and the Vanderbilt Track team. After school, he served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Monrovia before returning to Nashville where joined his father at Smith, Reed and Thompson as a certified life underwriter and charter financial consultant. He received his M.B.A. at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and later earned his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School, and then began his lifelong law career in the trust department of Third National Bank. After retiring from SunTrust Bank, he entered private practice and continued to help many families with their estate planning. He was active in First Presbyterian Church, Belle Meade Country Club, Leadership Nashville, the Tennessee Bar Association and the Rotary Club of Nashville. Alden is survived by three daughters, six grandchildren, brother and many nieces and nephews. Posted 4.5.16
Sidney H. McCollum was elected president of the Association of Attorney-Mediators, a national organization of licensed attorneys from 24 states who are also experienced mediators. He was a circuit judge for Arkansas's 19th Judicial District until 1995, when he stepped down to established ADR Inc., an alternative dispute resolution service providing mediation, arbitration, mini-trials and other alternatives to litigation. Posted 12.3.15
William S. Westermann was recently honored at the Florida Bar’s 50-Year member celebration at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Bill lives in Destin, Florida. Posted 7.8.15
David B. King was recently honored at the Florida Bar’s 50-Year member celebration at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. David is the founding shareholder of King, Blackwell, Zehnder & Wermuth in Orlando, Florida. The firm represents plaintiffs and defendants in both state and federal court in complex business and commercial litigation, arbitrations, appeals, and significant personal injury and wrongful death matters. Posted 7.8.15
Erik C. Larsen, Sr. (BA’62) was recently honored at the Florida Bar’s 50-Year member celebration at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Erik is the founder of Stratos Jet Charters in Winter Park, Florida. Posted 7.8.15
William Landis Turner has been reelected to the county commission of Lewis County, Tennessee and is a director of the Tennessee County Commissioners Association. He also serves as chairman of the Tennessee Short Line Railroad Alliance. In November, Landis was elected chairman and CEO of the South Central Tennessee Railroad Authority. Posted 12.9.14
Samuel G. McNamara died October 5, 2014. He was 74. Sam attended Centre College in Kentucky before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. He was the president of the Franklin County Bar Association and founded his own law practice. After retiring from his personal practice, he was appointed as Franklin County Circuit Judge from 2006-07. Sam is survived by his wife, Marsha Hart McNamara, and his four children. Posted 1.29.15
W. Clary Lunsford died June 8. Clary graduated from Hendricks College before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. He practiced with firms in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, focusing on tax and estate law. Clary is survived by his wife, Jean, and their three children. Posted 7.16.14
Frank Stegall Wesson, age 74, died May 6. Frank earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. Following law school, he served in the U.S. Air Force and was awarded the Bronze Star while serving in Vietnam. He practiced law in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Portland, Oregon, before retiring to Bend, Oregon, in 2012. Frank is survived by his wife, Sandy; a son and daughter; and two grandchildren. Posted 5.27.14
Richard R. McDowell (BE'59), age 76, died October 14. Dick received his undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt University. He served his country as a volunteer in the U.S. Navy. An accomplished attorney, Dick was a partner in the law offices of Hill Fulwider McDowell Funk & Matthews. He was an avid supporter of St. Luke's United Methodist Church. Dick is survived by two children and two grandchildren. Posted 10.21.13
James Christian Clark, 77, of Sarasota, died April 30. James graduated from Florida State University with a degree in finance before receiving his Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt Law School, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review and was elected a member of the Order of the Coif. From 1965 to 1968, he practiced law in Sarasota. In 1969, he joined the faculty of the Florida State University Law School and served as associate professor of law. In 1969, he was selected as FSU's first general counsel and was subsequently appointed assistant vice president of academic affairs. In 1971, James joined the University of South Florida as executive assistant to the president and professor in the college of business. In 1973, he returned to Sarasota and was engaged in a private practice of law. He was appointed by the Governor of Florida to two four-year terms on the board of trustees of the Ringling Museums, serving as chairman of the board for five years. He has served as a member of the Asolo State Theater Board and a director and vice president of the Asolo Theater Festival Association. He was a past president of the Kiwanis Club of Sarasota and a past lieutenant governor of the Florida District of Kiwanis. He also served as president of the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council. James is survived by his wife, Ann Clark; a son; and four stepchildren. Posted 6.12.13
William Landis Turner serves on the county commission in Lewis County, Tennessee. He is chairman and CEO of the South Central Tennessee Railroad Authority. Posted 3.14.13
Phillip "Scott" Higginbottom died Saturday, November 17, in Wichita, Kansas. He was awarded a Summerfield Scholarship to the University of Kansas, where he earned Bachelors (Phi Beta Kappa), Masters and doctoral degrees in addition to his J.D. from Vanderbilt. Scott taught at the University of Idaho, Moscow and later worked for S.E.R. Corporation in Wichita, doing research, teaching and training. He possessed a dry wit and had respect for his roots and family, a quest for learning, and was a man of honesty and integrity. Posted 11.30.12
Donald E. Gartrell died after a protracted struggle with Lou Gehrig's disease on September 13. He was 70. Don graduated from Arlington High School in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1958 and earned his undergraduate degree at Ohio Wesleyan University before earning his law degree at Vanderbilt. He served in the Air Force, leaving with the rank of Captain in 1969, and joined Sulloway Hollis Godfrey & Soden. In 1974, Don and two colleagues established their own firm, Gallagher Callahan & Gartrell. Don was a proud supporter of the Boy Scouts for many years; he also served on the board of the New Hampshire Historical Society, the Concord Hospital and the New Hampshire Chapter of the Red Cross. He was also a trustee of Gould Academy and a supporter of several community initiatives in Swans Island, Maine. Don is survived by his wife, Sarah Burgess Gartrell, a daughter, a son and four grandsons. Posted 10.18.11
Martin Leader retired from practicing law nine years ago, shortly after his communications law firm merged with Shaw, Pittman, now Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman. Since retiring, he has served as an independent corporate director for a tobacco company, an automobile retailer, and a media company. Posted 9.22.10
James Bishop Johnson, 69, died August 16, 2010 at his farm in Garland, Tennessee. Jim was well loved and admired by all of his family and by his many friends. He was a graduate of Christian Brothers High School, Vanderbilt University, and Vanderbilt Law School and practiced law up until his death. During his Vanderbilt Law School years, Jim gave up a spot on the Vanderbilt Law Review to coach their freshman football team. In 1999 he was a recipient of the S.E.C. Unsung Heroes Award as a veteran in Vietnam. Jim is survived by his loving life-long partner, Leslie Luttrell Sollee.
Pat B. Brian, a former district court judge in Salt Lake City and Tooele and Summit counties, died June 29, 2010, of pancreatic cancer at his summer home. He was 72. Pat was appointed to the Third District Court in May 1987 by Utah Governor Norman H. Bangerter and served for 23 years as a judge, retiring in 2005. He earned his undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University. His first law position was in the District Attorney's Office in Orange County, California, where he became a deputy district attorney. He also worked as a federal prosecutor in Anchorage, Alaska. Pat was an adjunct law professor at Pepperdine University and at Brigham Young University for 24 years. He lectured extensively in Mongolia, China and Ukraine on the American rule of law. He also had been a visiting professor at the Fudan University Law School in Shanghai, China. He served as a member of the Utah Child Abuse Prevention Task Force, the Utah DUI Revision Commission and the Utah State Victim Restitution Commission. He also was a member of the statewide Grand Jury Panel of Judges and the Utah State Bar Fee Arbitration Committee.
Jane Shaeffer, who was the driving force behind the founding and survival of Tallahassee, Florida's main homeless shelter, died September 9, 2009, from the complications of pneumonia. Jane specialized in domestic law and became the first statewide director of Florida's Guardian ad Litem program. She was among the 20 volunteers and local agencies who banded together in 1987-88 to open a temporary homeless shelter in the basement of First Presbyterian Church. The shelter and became a year-round facility in 1991. In 1989, most of the organizing board members wanted to give up operation of The Shelter and hoped the city would take over the seasonal operation. Shaeffer, not convinced the city would take over and convinced a permanent facility was needed, insisted they stay the course, which led to the eventual year-round shelter. "Jane was definitely the driving force in the origin of The Shelter; it would not be here now if it wasn't for her," said Mel Eby, director of The Shelter since 1990. The Shelter endured criticism from politicians and residents who complain about its visible location and open-door policy. But Shaeffer was an adamant advocate for its chief tenets, insisting that The Shelter welcome homeless people of any physical or mental condition, charge no fees and enforce no limits on how long they can stay. She led the lobbying that persuaded the City Commission to purchase and give The Shelter its building in 1993. She helped assemble the network of churches and groups that donate the nightly meals. In 2004, she and her husband purchased an adjacent building to serve as The Shelter's day center. In 1989 she was Tallahassee's Volunteer of the Year; The Shelter won Tallahassee's Volunteer of the Year award for organizations in 2002 and 2009. A native of Washington, D.C., Jane practiced law in Washington, D.C., and Boston before moving to Tallahassee in 1978. She is survived by her husband of 40 years, retired Florida A&M University architecture professor Ron Shaeffer, two children and three grandchildren.
Thomas Vance Little died March 20, 2009, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.Well-known for his love of history and genteel ways, Little was a historian, attorney and author who wrote several books about Brentwood and Williamson County, the most recent of which was Gently Flows the Harpeth, a collection of his newspaper columns and photographs of the area. A native of Brentwood, where his family has lived since the 1700s, Little earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt, and completed graduate work at Northwestern University and Cambridge University in England. Until his retirement, Little served as an attorney at Union Bank and later as a trust and probate officer. He was honored for his volunteer work many times over the years, having been named Heritage Foundation patron of the year, Brentwood Chamber of Commerce citizen of the year and Williamson County Historical Society volunteer of the year, among others. Because of his vast knowledge of county history, Little was appointed city of Brentwood historian in 1988. He also chaired the Brentwood Historic Commission for many years. Little donated his books and files to the Brentwood Library, which has dedicated the T. Vance Little Room, where visitors can conduct research on their own.
Maurice Brog died at the Memphis Jewish Home January 3, 2009. He was 69. He won a Merit Scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with honors, before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. He practiced love and healing while a long-term patient at the Memphis Jewish Home. Maurice's brother, Avron Brog, earned his law degree at Vanderbilt in 1957.
Michael E. Shaheen Jr., 67, the Justice Department's top internal watchdog for more than 20 years, who never feared attacking abuses by top political or career officials, died of pancreatic cancer November 29, 2007 at his home in Falls Church, Virginia. A scathing report by Mr. Shaheen in 1993, which accused FBI Director William S. Sessions of misuse of government property, led to President Bill Clinton's dismissal of Sessions. In 1989, Mr. Shaheen wrote a 61-page report that said former attorney general Edwin Meese III had engaged in "conduct which should not be tolerated of any government employee, especially not the attorney general."
As the founding director of the Office of Professional Responsibility, Mr. Shaheen conducted investigations of high-ranking Cabinet officials, senior White House employees and more than one president. A job that he thought would run no more than a year lasted 22 years through the tenure of eight attorneys general. "He was a straight arrow, he was a professional in every sense of the word and he took his job very seriously," former FBI and CIA director William H. Webster said Friday. "He was the go-to guy on any kind of ethical inquiry."
Mr. Shaheen challenged the appearance of oil and gas tax shelters held by Attorney General William French Smith and rebuked Attorney General Benjamin R. Civiletti, who had denied that he had discussed the investigation of Billy Carter, a registered foreign agent for Libya, with his brother, President Jimmy Carter. He attacked the Clinton White House in testimony before the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee in 1995 for its failure to cooperate in his investigation of firings in the White House travel office.
His office had asked for two years for diaries or journals kept by deputy White House counsel Vincent Foster, who committed suicide during the investigation. But it was while reading a magazine article that Mr. Shaheen learned that Foster had kept a daily log that the administration had not turned over, he told the committee.
In addition to investigating headline names, Mr. Shaheen and his office also examined misconduct in the ranks of the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Border Patrol, Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Marshals Service.
However, his credibility stemmed from his willingness to tackle the misdeeds of top officials, and not just those of the less-powerful. In 1978, his office published the Justice Department's first report on abuses by longtime FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and his inner circle. Mr. Shaheen said at the time that "there definitely would have been prosecutions if the statute of limitations hadn't run." Hoover died in 1972. Colleagues said Mr. Shaheen's style helped explain how he managed to hold the watchdog position for so long. "He combined a Southern courtliness with an explosive sense of humor, the kind of appreciation usually associated with knee-slapper jokes," said journalist and author Ronald J. Ostrow.
Mr. Shaheen was born in Boston and grew up in Mississippi. He graduated from Yale University and in 1965 received a law degree from Vanderbilt University. He clerked for a federal judge in Tennessee and practiced law in Como, Miss., where he was elected mayor while still in his 20s. He practiced law in Memphis before joining the Justice Department in 1973 in the civil rights division. Two years later, he was special counsel for intelligence to Attorney General Edward H. Levi. Levi established the Office of Professional Responsibility at the end of 1975. At the time of its establishment, the office was the only agency in the executive branch that could start administrative and criminal internal investigations. It never had more than 35 lawyers, but it conducted thousands of examinations.
After his resignation in 1997, Mr. Shaheen served as chief counsel and deputy executive director of the congressionally mandated Commission on the Advancement of Federal Law Enforcement. He was also special investigative counsel for an independent review of the Internal Revenue Service's criminal investigation division. In 2000, he became senior counselor to then-IRS Commissioner Charles O. Rossotti. He received the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Service and two Meritorious Service Awards. Survivors include his wife, Polly Shaheen of Falls Church; three sons, Michael Shaheen III of Ithaca, N.Y., Timothy Shaheen of Falls Church and Francisco Macedo of Atlanta; four half sisters; a half brother; and three grandchildren.
Joe Inman Majors, a well-respected and popular capitol hill lobbyist, died in his sleep at home. He was 70. Majors, who had been suffering from cancer and heart disease, had just celebrated his birthday on Christmas Day. A former member of the Tennessee State House of Representatives representing Tullahoma, Majors came from the royal family of Tennessee football. His late father, Shirley Majors, was the head coach at the University of the South in Sewanee for 21 years and was a charter inductee into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Three of Majors' brothers played at the University of Tennessee, the best-known being Johnny Majors, who went on to coach UT for many years.
No slouch on the football field himself, Joe Majors played college football at the University of Alabama and at Florida State University. In 1960, he joined the Houston Oilers in the charter season of the American Football League. He played one season there as a quarterback and defensive back. Majors lobbied for Atlanta-based Community Loans of America, the Tennessee Consumer Finance Association, the Tennessee Hotel and Lodging Association, the Tennessee Oil Marketers Association, and the Tennessee Pawnbrokers Association. He was also a founding member of the Tennessee Lobbyist Association. Majors is survived by his wife Elizabeth Scokin, sons Frank and Inman, brothers Johnny, Bobby, and Larry, and sister Shirley Ann Husband.
Class of 1966
James Monroe passed away March 2 in Kingwood, Texas at the age of 83.Jim is survived by his wife of 56 years, Cindy Monroe; daughters, Amy Monroe and Sarah Monroe. Full obituary here. Posted 3.20.23
David Thomas Moody passed away at his home in Jacksonville, FL on September 14. He was 81. Posted 9.19.22
David Lynn Wolfe, Jr., 80, of Yulee, FL passed away Sunday, December 20, 2021, at Baptist Medical Center, Nassau County, FL. He was a man of many talents and skills. Over his lifetime he was a scuba diver, a boat captain and a pilot. He worked with the Civil Air Patrol when he lived in Naples. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed fishing and hunting and was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. Posted 1.31.22
Paul Henry DeLaney, Jr. passed away peacefully Friday evening, December 17th, while in hospice care. Paul was a man of faith, who will best be remembered for his positive nature and fierce determination. He valued his family above all else and was always there to help a friend, mentor a colleague, or serve those in need. Paul is survived by his wife; his two children: Paul Henry DeLaney III and G. Porter DeLaney (BS ’00). Posted 1.31.22
Albert David Noe IV (BA ’63) of Jackson, Tennessee died December 3. After earning his undergraduate and law degrees at Vanderbilt, Albert practiced law in Nashville; Tucson, Arizona; and Jackson. In Nashville, he was instrumental in the extradition of James Earl Ray. An avid outdoorsman, he cherished his days at Reelfoot lake and Hatchie Bottom. Albert had a special place in his heart for the Jackson Downtown Development Corp., in part due to his family’s connections to the New Southern Hotel. He is survived by his son, Allen. Posted 12.15.17
Robert J. Attaway of Naples, Florida died September 3. He was 77. Bob earned his undergraduate degree from Michigan State before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. In addition, he went on to earn his Master of Law in Labor from Wayne State University. Early in Bob's career, he worked for the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Labor. He then found his specialty in maritime labor law, and began a decades-long association with Sea-Land Services, until the company dissolved in 1999. Most recently, he was a Partner at Lambos & Junge, in New York City. He had also been a Partner at the New York City Firms Haight, Gardner, Poor, and Havens, in New York City, and a Partner at Finley, Kumble, Wagner, Heine, Underberg, Manley, Myerson & Casey. He was also a founding Partner at Barlow & Attaway, with offices in Princeton, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California. Bob was admitted to the courts in Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Michigan, as well as several U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals. He was also admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States, and one of the highlights of his career was arguing a case in front of that esteemed institution. Bob is survived by his wife, Rilla, and two daughters, Pamela and Linda. Posted 9.20.17
Irvin Salky of Memphis died May 11. He was 75. Irvin graduated from Memphis State University before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. In addition, he served in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He was a member of the city's first integrated law firm, Ratner, Sugarmon, Lucas, Willis and Caldwell. An ardent supporter of live music, he founded the Beale Street Music Festival in 1977. He represented and managed music icons Phineas Newborn, Furry Lewis, Fred Ford, and Memphis Slim. Irvin worked tirelessly for his clients, providing pro bono support to many grateful individuals over the years. Read more here. Posted 6.15.17
Howard Nations has been recognized by The Trial Lawyer as a 2016 member of “The RoundTable: America’s Most Influential Trial Lawyers”. His law firm, The Nations Law Firm, has been recognized by The Trial Lawyer as a 2016 member of “The Forum: America’s Most Influential Law Firms”. In addition, Howard has been selected as one of five 2017 recipients of the Texas Bar Foundation’s “Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award”, which recognized attorneys whose practice has spanned 50 years or more and who adhere to the highest principles and traditions of the legal profession and service to the public. Posted 4.21.17
Jeff Carr died April 10, 2016 in his home near Burns, TN. He was 75. Born in the Bronx, New York, he grew up in Alabama and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Jeff first came to Vanderbilt to earn his law degree and stayed with the university for the rest of his professional career until he retired in 2000. He oversaw the operation of several offices throughout his career, including security, news and public affairs, traffic and parking real estate. He helped navigate the addition of Peabody College to the university and worked to manage the massive growth at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Jeff also worked with merchants and property owners in the 1990s to beautify Hillsboro Village and helped secure the university’s purchase of the property on West End Avenue between 25th Avenue and Natchez Trace, which was developed into the 2525 retail and office building and a Marriott Hotel. He served the Nashville Chamber of Commerce as general counsel and was a member of the executive committee, the education committee and the board of governors. Jeff is survived by his wife, two daughters, son-in-law and two grandchildren. Posted 5.3.16
Frank A. Woods (BA’63) died May 13. He was 74. Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, he was raised in Nashville, Tennessee and attended Vanderbilt for both his undergraduate and law degrees. Upon earning his JD, Frank went to work for Hooker, Hooker, and Willis before moving on to run his own businesses among other ventures. He is survived by his wife, Jayne, and two daughters, Ashley and Grayson. Posted 6.22.15
Howard L. Nations has been selected to the 2015 list as a member of the "Nation’s Top One Percent" by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. Howard practices with The Nations Law Firm in Houston, Texas where he focuses on mass tort pharmaceuticals, individual catastrophic injuries, and complex business litigation. Posted 4.26.15
Bruce Arthur Smith died January 9 after a battle with cancer. He was 73. Bruce earned his undergraduate degree from The University of the South before going on to complete his JD at Vanderbilt Law School. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard an aircraft carrier and went on to serve in various professional roles including lawyer, designer, and artist. Bruce is survived by his two sisters, Bettina Wilke and Barbara Urso. Posted 1.26.15
Howard L. Nations was honored by the American Association for Justice (AJA) with its highest accolade, the Lifetime Achievement Award. Howard is an inductee of the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame and a nationally recognized author and speaker, having spoken to trial lawyer groups in all fifty states and twelve foreign countries. As a leader of the trial bar, Howard is past President of The National Trial Lawyers, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Southern Trial Lawyers Association, The Melvin M. Belli Society, The Aletheia Institute and The Association of Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America. Prior to receiving AAJ's Lifetime Achievement Award, Howard has been honored with the Belli Society's "Mel" award, MTMP's "Clarence Darrow" award, STLA's "War Horse" award, AAJ's "Heavy Lifting" award, STLA's Tommy Malone "Great American Eagle" award, the State Bar of Texas "Gene Cavin" award, STLA's "Lighthouse Award", APITLA's "The Man in the Arena" award and ATLA's "Weidemann & Wysocki" award. His firm, the Nations Law Firm, is a national firm which specializes in pharmaceutical litigation, and catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. Posted 8.12.2014
William Thomas "Bill" Baker, Jr., of Ocklawaha, Florida, died on September 23, of lung disease. As a National Merit Scholar, Bill attended Vanderbilt University for his undergraduate degree and then went on to earn his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School. Newly married to Mary Ann Williams and proud father of his first child, he began his law career in Orlando in 1966. In 1969 he became a founding partner of what is today known as Lowndes Drosdick Doster Kantor and Reed. As an accomplished real estate lawyer and later as a developer and conservation consultant, Bill played an integral role in the dynamic growth of Central Florida in the 1970s and 1980s. Bill is survived by three adoring children and six grandchildren. Posted 10.10.13
Lee Piovarcy, is the new resident partner in the recently opened Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, office of Martin Tate Morrow & Marston. Lee has been with the firm since 1969, and he will continue to maintain an office with Martin Tate in Memphis. Additionally, Lee was recently included in the Best Lawyers in America 2014 in the areas of commercial litigation and transportation law. Posted 9.23.13
Brian Francis David Lavelle Sr. died at home on November 18. He was 71. Brian earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia in 1963 and earned an LLM in taxation from New York University after earning his JD at Vanderbilt. Brian also served as a Captain in the US Air Force JAG Corps. Following his service, he moved to Asheville, where he spent his career practicing estate and probate law with the Van Winkle Law Firm. He served twice on the board of governors of the North Carolina Bar Association and was a Fellow and former regent of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Brian is survived by his wife, Sara Hill Lavelle; their three children; and a large extended family. Posted 11-30-12
David M. Bullock (BA'63) joined the Nashville law firm of Tune Entrekin & White, where he practices environmental law. For the last 22 years, David has advised companies on environmental permitting and compliance matters as well as represented clients in state and federal court. Prior to entering private practice, Bullock spent eight years with the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Posted 10-8-12
Howard L. Nations has been inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame. He joins such legends as John Adams, Gerry Spence and Clarence Darrow. Each year, The Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame recognizes and honors a few remarkable trial lawyers who have left an indelible mark on the American legal tradition through a lifetime of service to the American public, the Trial Bar and the Constitution, and who have distinguished themselves as an advocate in the courtroom. The honorees are recognized for defending the right to trial by jury, as well as the integrity of American Jurisprudence by their exceptional actions in the courtroom throughout the United States of America. As a leader of the trial bar, Howard served as president of The National Trial Lawyers, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, the Southern Trial Lawyers Association, the Belli Society and the Aletheia Institute. He served five years on American Association for Justice's Executive Committee and is a trustee of the American Jury Foundation. He is the recipient of the Belli Society's Mel Award, MTMP's Clarence Darrow Award, STLA's War Horse Award, AAJ's Heavy Lifting Award, and STLA's Tommy Malone Great American Eagle Award. The Nations Law Firm conducts a national litigation practice with clients in all fifty states and offices in Houston, Denver, Atlanta, New York and Washington, D.C. Posted 7-9-12
Richard L. Jorandby, who won national renown as a crusading Palm Beach County Public Defender, and who was especially well known for the work his attorneys performed in death penalty cases, died May 21 of cancer. He was 73. Dick held office for 28 years before he was defeated in 2000, a defeat that ended a career marked by innovation and a commitment to defend the poor, his former assistants say. Prior to this, Dick had created a unit that handled death penalty appeals in various Florida counties. His assistant public defenders argued a total of five cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and were nationally recognized for their expertise in death penalty appeals. In addition, he started a counseling program for defendants, an alternative sentencing program and an ex-offender employment program. In 1985, a National Institute of Justice study pointed to his office as an example of how to defend poor people in a cost-effective way. Dick is survived by his wife, Cheryl, and two daughters. Posted 6-22-12
John Calvin Crawford III, of Atlanta, Georgia, died of pancreatic cancer on July 4, 2008. He served three years in the U.S. Navy as a communications officer aboard the flagship of the Mediterranean Sixth Fleet. He continued his military career in the Naval Reserve, retiring after 21 years of service with the rank of Commander. After earning his law degree at Vanderbilt, he joined his family law firm in Maryville, where he practiced with his father and his uncle. In 1973 he was named assistant district attorney. In 1978 he was elected circuit court judge handling primarily criminal cases. He retired to Atlanta in 1990. There he was a member of the Decatur Civic Chorus, the Greater Atlanta Rose Society, a volunteer at the Atlanta Branch of the National Archives and tutored in adult literacy programs. Posted 8-19-08
James M. Anderson was elected as Chairman of the Board of the National Stock Exchange, Inc. (NSX(R)). As president and chief executive officer of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, has served as an Independent Director on the Board of NSX since 1978 through the present. He previously served as Chairman of the Exchange from 1979 to 1989.His 1996 appointment as President and CEO of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center followed 20 years of service to the Cincinnati Children's Board of Trustees, which included four years as Chairman. In 2005, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Cincinnati Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and also appointed to a national advisory commission focusing on reforms to the Medicaid system. Before joining the staff of Cincinnati Children's, he was a partner specializing in corporate law at Taft, Stettinius & Hollister. His previous professional experience also includes a position as President of U.S. operations and director at Xomox Corporation, a publicly traded manufacturer of specialty process controls that was acquired by Emerson Electric Co. in 1980.He has been a director of numerous corporations and is currently a director of Gateway Investment Trust, River City Insurance Limited, and the UNIFI Companies. His extensive civic involvement includes service to the Dan Beard Council of the Boy Scouts of America; Cincinnati Museum of Natural History; and the College of Mt. St. Joseph. He was honored in 2005 with the Human Relations Award presented by the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Jewish Committee, in recognition of his outstanding professional contributions to a healthy Cincinnati community.
Judge Randall Wyatt received the Jack Norman Award in June 2005. The award is given to a Nashville attorney whose service pertains to criminal law, demonstrates respect for the rights of all individuals in the criminal justice system, exhibits the trial or judicial skills necessary to the pursuit of justice, demonstrates an abiding respect for the law and legal profession, maintains highest standard of professional integrity and ethical conduct, and contributes to the improvement of the legal profession and criminal justice system. Judge Wyatt has served as a Davidson County judge since 1974.
Class of 1967
Anna Carylon Fox Hinds passed away peacefully on May 25th. You can read her full obituary here. Posted 6.6.22
Milton W. Smith, Jr, born July 27, 1942, passed peacefully on October 27. Milton, known affectionately to his many friends as "Bubba”. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, and a member of the Vanderbilt Law Review. Milton's writing skills, combined with his wonderful sense of humor, kept his friends entertained through the years. Posted 11.23.21
William C. "Bill" Fenwick Sr., 82, of The Villages, Florida, formerly of Louisville, died peacefully on April 21 after a lengthy illness. Survivors include: his four children, William "Bill" Jr. (Karen), Terry (Lou Ann), Theresa and Lisa "Kay" Tong (Eric). He was preceded in death by his wife, Kathy Prinsen Fenwick. Read his full obituary here. Posted 11.1.21
Judge John R. MacLean, Jr. died peacefully at home in Ft. Worth on November 8, 2020, after suffering with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), similar to Parkinson's Disease. John loved nothing more than a blue-sky ski day; a day of fly fishing on any mountain stream; and any day in a duck blind with a black lab by his side. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Cleburne, Texas, where he served in various capacities. John also served as Chairman of the Johnson County United Way. Read his full obituary here. Posted 2.11.21
William Lee Lackey, 78, passed away at his home on October 11, 2020. He attended Vanderbilt University for both college and law school, graduating with a B.A. in 1964 and an LL.B in 1967. He served as a mentor and teacher to several generations of Hardin County attorneys. Lee was a longtime contributor to the civic and commercial life of Savannah and Hardin County. Read full obituary here. Posted 1.15.21
William A. Pyle died December 18, 2019. He was a kind, generous, intelligent man who lived to give back to the community. Read his full obituary here. Posted 4.2.20
Lee Davis, Jr. died January 3, following complications from a form of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). He will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, selfless service, legal acumen, thirst for knowledge, love of history, sense of humor (including the story about his "Texas Ranger" belt buckle) and passion for roadsters (especially Mazda Miatas, of which he owned two). A long-time resident of Johnson City, the 77-year old was born in Memphis, TN. Read his full obituary here. Posted 3.24.20
William Bradford Reynolds of Seabrook Island, South Carolina, died Sept. 14 after a battle with cancer. He was 77. Brad earned his undergraduate degree at Yale and graduated second in his Vanderbilt Law class, serving as editor-in-chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review. Brad started his legal career at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York, where he practiced for three years before joining the U.S. Department of Justice in 1973 as an assistant to the solicitor general of the United States. In 1981, Brad was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to serve as the assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights division. From 1985 to 1988, he also held the position of counselor to the U.S. Attorney General. Widely regarded as one of the most influential and effective members of the Reagan administration, Brad tenaciously advanced the view that "discrimination on the basis of race is illegal, immoral, unconstitutional, inherently wrong and destructive of democratic society." As counselor to Attorney General Edwin Meese, Brad provided legal and policy advice on critical issues involving all aspects of the Justice Department's activities and played a key role in investigating the Iran-Contra Affair. He returned to private law practice with Baker Botts. Brad's distinguished career as an appellate specialist included 19 arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court. Brad was an avid golfer and ran several Marine Corp marathons in Washington, D.C. He was survived by his wife, Barbara Lynne Reynolds, and four children. Posted 11.22.19
Saul Belz was listed as a leader in litigation in the Chambers USA 2019 guide. Posted 6.19.19
Raymond Bartholomew died January 5. He was 75. Ray earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Westminster College before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt where he was awarded a full scholarship, served on the Vanderbilt Law Review, was a member of The Order of the Coif and horary legal society. On January 2, 2018 he celebrated 50 years in the practice of law. Ray is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jane. Posted 1.15.18
Bill Samuels Jr., formerly chairman of Maker’s Mark, will receive Greater Louisville Inc.’s prestigious Gold Cup, which recognizes lifetime community service and leadership. Created in 1969, the Gold Cup has only been awarded to 21 recipients. Bill earned a degree in engineering physics and worked on both the Gemini and Polaris missiles before earning his law degree and returning to his hometown, Bardstown, Kentucky, to take the helm of his family business, Maker’s Mark. He is credited with turning Maker’s Mark into an internationally-recognized brand and inventing Maker’s 46. Bill has chaired over 25 different nonprofit boards and has been recognized as Kentucky’s Entrepreneur of the Year three times, Louisville’s Citizen of the Year in 2004, and inducted into the Kentucky Business Hall of Fame in 2006.Posted 12.15.17
William Rupert "Bill" Platt of Tampa Bay, Florida, died Dec. 9. He was 82. Bill earned his B.A. at the University of Kentucky and then served in the U.S. Air Force from 1959 to 1964, achieving the rank of captain. In the Air Force, he became a member of the Strategic Air Command and flew B-47 Bombers all over the world. He met his wife, Jan Kaminis, on a blind date was while he was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base. They married in 1962 and were each other’s best friend and biggest support for 55 years. After Bill earning his J.D. at Vanderbilt, he returned to Tampa to work in the trust department at the Marine Bank. He later joined the law firm of Gibbons Tucker and McEwen before embarking on a career as a solo practitioner that spanned decades. Bill's practice focused on the area of real property, probate and trusts. He was a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association and the Florida Bar Associate, where he was active in its Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section, serving on its executive council. He was also a fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Council. An accomplished musician, Bill played the trumpet for years in the Old Smoothies, a band composed of lawyers, doctors and businessmen. He is survived by his son, Kevin and his granddaughter, Emma. Posted 12.15.17
Charles C. Brown Jr. of Nashville died November 14. He was 76. Charles attended Columbia Military Academy and went on to earn both his undergraduate and law degree from Vanderbilt. He began his career at Metropolitan Legal Department, and in 1972 he joined Third National Bank where he was Vice President of the Trust Real Estate Division. In 1982, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to start his own real estate development business. In 1986, he joined the real estate development team at Hardaway Group where he stayed for 10 years. In 1996, he formed BroCar, Inc., a real estate development company, but it was in 1998 he found his true business calling forming Nonprofit Housing Corporation, a mission-driven nonprofit providing multi-family affordable housing. Charles is survived by his wife, Diane (BA ’64), his twin daughters and son. Posted 11.27.17
Saul C. Belz, member of Glankler Brown in Memphis, Tennesseehas been named a litigation star by Benchmark Litigation, the definitive guide to America's leading business litigation firms and attorneys. Saul is an attorney at Glankler Brown in Memphis. Posted 10.18.17
Saul C. Belz, member of Glankler Brown in Memphis, Tennessee, was recognized as a leader in litigation in the 2016 edition of Chambers USA. Posted 7.27.16
Joel H. Moseley Sr. died June 18, 2016 in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was 73. Joel was born in Nashville and attended Carsen-Newman College in Jefferson City Tennessee, where he met his wife, Alicia Susan Horton (JD’79). Joel was an accomplished debater which led him to the practice of law and ultimately Vanderbilt University Law School, earning his J.D. in 1967. After earning his law degree and license, Joel began working for the Metropolitan Nashville Law Department as an attorney and eventually became the executive assistant to Mayor Beverly Briley, the first mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Joel entered into the private practice of law in 1970 with his wife, where they were partners together at Moseley and Moseley. His representation of Viacom brought cable television to the city of Nashville, and his later representation of the Tennessee Association of Professional Bail Agents helped maintain an association that is highly regarded throughout the country. He is survived by his wife, three children and four grandchildren. Posted 7.25.16
Aubrey B. Harwell Jr. (BA’64) will be honored at the Nashville Honors Gala with the Spirit of Nashville Award. Aubrey is co-founder and managing partner of Nashville-based Neal & Harwell, widely regarded as one of the premier litigation firms in the U.S. Posted 1.27.16
Fred D. Thompson died November 1 in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 73. Thompson was born in Sheffield, Alabama and grew up in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, where he was a top athlete. He earned his undergraduate degree in 1964 at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) and then his law degree at Vanderbilt Law School in 1967. In 1969, he was appointed an assistant United States attorney in Nashville. He then served as minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee. During the 1980s, he practiced law in Nashville and Washington, D.C., and served as special counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, special counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee and on Tennessee’s Appellate Court Nomination Commission. A lifelong Republican, Thompson ran for the Senate in 1994 in a special election to fill the seat vacated by Vice President Al Gore. Although the Senate race was his first, Thompson had previously worked closely with Sen. Howard Baker as his campaign manager in 1972 and as counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee, on which Baker served, in 1973-74. A gifted actor who left his regular role on the NBC drama “Law & Order” in 2007 to run for president, Thompson starred in numerous films, including “The Hunt for Red October” and “In the Line of Fire,” playing authoritative “solid guy” characters much like himself. Thompson is survived by his wife, Jeri Thompson, and their children Hayden and Sammy; his brother, Ken; his adult children Tony and Dan; and several grandchildren. Posted 11.3.15
Alvin P. Adams Jr. died October 10. He was 73. Born in New York City, he attended Yale University for his undergraduate education before earning his law degree from Vanderbilt. He served in diplomatic posts in Vietnam and in Washington, including the office of the ambassador at large for counterterrorism. Mr. Adams was the envoy to Djibouti from 1983-1985, to Haiti from 1989-1992 and to Peru from 1993-1996, appointed under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush. He was instrumental in nudging Haiti toward democracy. After retiring from the Foreign Service in 1996, he was president of the United Nations Association of the United States of America and lived in Honolulu and Buenos Aires before moving to Portland, Oregon. He is survived by his son; two grandchildren; brother; and sister. Read the New York Times obituary. Posted 11.3.15
Aubrey B. Harwell Jr. (BA’64) has been recognized by the American Academy of Trial Attorneys as one of 100 premier trial attorneys in the state of Tennessee. He is co-founder and managing partner of Neal and Harwell in Nashville, Tennessee where he focuses his practice on commercial litigation, white-collar criminal defense and crisis management. Posted 8.28.15
Saul C. Belz has been listed as a leader in litigation in Chambers USA “Leaders in their Fields”. Saul is a member with Glankler Brown, based in Memphis, Tennessee. He concentrates his practice in the areas of business litigation, commercial disputes of all types, complex litigation, appeals and employment law. Posted 6.22.15
Robert Pierce Hubbard died January 12. He was 75. Bob grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and earned his undergraduate degree at Jacksonville University before earning his law degree at Vanderbilt. He spent his career at Arthur Anderson in Atlanta, where he was a board member for the Arts Festival of Atlanta. After retiring in 2002, Bob began a dual residence between Atlanta and Jacksonville Beach. He is survived by two brothers and a large extended family. Posted 1.26.15
Robert Eugene Sims (BA’65) of Louisville, Kentucky, died December 24 of complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. Bob formed Sims & Sims Law Offices with his father and served as a special assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Kentucky from December 1983-1989. He served in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General Corps Reserve from 1967-79. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Karen Toole Sims, three daughters and four grandchildren. Posted 1.2.15
Daniel Howard Gross died November 22. He was 72. After graduating from Yale, Dan earned his law degree from Vanderbilt, eventually moving to Alaska and working as a realtor and a reporter, as well as in other professional capacities. He is survived by his wife Lois Ann Walter Gross. Posted 12.9.14
Robert A. Redwine died October 22. He was 72 years old. He practiced Admiralty and Insurance Defense Law in New Orleans until retiring from private practice in 2009. Robert is survived by his two children. Posted 11.4.14
Aubrey Lee Coleman Jr. died May 23 in Atlanta, Georgia, after battling pancreatic cancer. Aubrey graduated Order of the Coif and was managing editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. Dean John S. Beasley was a special friend and mentor. He was a senior partner at Smith Currie & Hancock in Atlanta, where he practiced construction law until his retirement in 2012. In 2004, Atlanta Magazine named him one of the top 100 lawyers in Georgia, and in an April 25, 2014, Wall Street Journal supplement, he was named Lawyer of the Year for construction law in Georgia. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ann Guillory Coleman (BA'66). Posted 6.12.14
Aubrey B. Harwell, Jr. (BA '64), co-founder and managing partner of Neal & Harwell, has been named the 2014 Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Southeastern Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates (SEABOTA). The award recognizes Aubrey's superior skill in advocacy, his contributions to the legal profession and his absolute integrity. The award was presented at the SEABOTA Conference in Nashville on May 3. Posted 5.27.14
William Kirkland has been welcomed to the Lexington Theological Seminary's board of trustees. Bill is an attorney and partner in the firm McBrayer McGinnis Leslie & Kirkland. He attended Lexington Theological Seminary for professional study from 1977-79. Bill is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and state government attorney and has devoted much of his time to pro bono activities. Posted 5.27.14
Howard R. Berkenstock Jr., of Memphis and Gulf Shores, died March 10 of esophageal cancer. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, in which he served as a Naval Aviator. Most recently, Roy served as counsel to Wyatt Tarrant & Combs in Memphis, where he was a member of the intellectual property protection & litigation service team. He is survived by his wife, Marilou; four children, including daughter Amy L.B. Frazier (BS'85) and son Oren Lee Berkenstock (BA'88); and his "Lucky 7" granddaughters. Posted 3.25.14
Larry Helm Spalding (BA'65) died in Tallahassee, Florida, March 22. Larry served as a law clerk to the Honorable Irving L. Goldberg, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Judicial Circuit, in Dallas. He briefly practiced law in Nashville before relocating to Sarasota, Florida, where he became a partner in the law firm of Lewis & Spalding. In 1985, he was appointed by former governor Bob Graham to head the Office of Capital Collateral Representative, a statewide public defender office charged with the responsibility of representing death row inmates in their post-conviction proceedings in the state and federal courts. He was subsequently appointed to a second four-year term by former Governor Bob Martinez. Larry concluded his legal career as a public interest lawyer/lobbyist. He served 15 years as the legislative staff counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida. At the state Capitol, he advocated passionately for the civil rights and civil liberties of the citizens of the Sunshine State. A strong believer in community service, he was a member of Kiwanis International for 42 years, serving as club president three times. He also was a division trustee for the Florida Kiwanis Foundation for 10 years. He is survived by his wife, Faith; his daughter; and a granddaughter. Posted 3.25.14
Walter "Skeeter" Bowman III, age 71, died April 22, in Tampa, Florida. Walter graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1963 before graduating from Vanderbilt Law School where he was a member of the Law Review. He was an attorney for the National Labor Relations Board in both Atlanta and Tampa for many years. Walter is survived by his wife, Margaret; and his daughter. Posted 5.1.13
Georg e V. Crawford (BA'62), a practicing lawyer listed in "The Best Lawyers in America" in Corporate and Real Estate Law took the time to grant the Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University's student newspaper, an interview about his time at Vanderbilt, his legal career, and the Vanderbilt community. George continues to remain involved with Vanderbilt, serving as a Class Agent for Vanderbilt Law School, a board member for the Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Canby Robinson Society, as well as a board member for the Nashville Vanderbilt Club. Posted 11.14.12
Saul C. Belz , a member in Glankler Brown's Memphis office, has been named a litigation star by Benchmark Litigation. With over 30 years of experience in the law, primarily assisting corporate clients with resolution of disputes, both in court and through alternative dispute mechanisms, Saul concentrates his practice in the areas of business litigation, commercial disputes of all types, complex litigation, appeals and employment law. Posted 9.25.12
John Wayne Falbey has published his first thriller novel: Sleeping Dogs: The Awakening . A morality tale of good and evil, Sleeping Dogs is described in a PR News press release as a political thriller with geopolitical intrigue that showcases some of the latest developments in technology, weaponry and genetic research. Posted 8.21.12
Richard Lamb Dunlap III (BA'64), former Paris mayor and longtime attorney, died June 15 in Nashville. He was 69. Dick earned his bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt before earning his law degree. He was a former board of member of Commercial Bank and FirstBank, as well as the Paris Board of Public Utilities. He was a former Rotary Club member. Dick is survived by his daughter, Susannah; son, Richard; and three grandchildren. Posted 6.22.12
William A. Pyle, a Jackson, Mississippi, attorney, has been granted life membership in Intertel. Founded in 1966, Intertel is a high-IQ society that has only one qualification for membership: a score at or above the 99th percentile on a standardized IQ test. Bill is also a life member of Mensa, the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. Posted 4.18.12
Thomas W. "Tom" Moore, Sr., of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, passed away May 2, 2011. He was 73. Tom was a graduate of Goodlettsville High School in Tennessee and, after serving in the United States Air Force for four years, he attended George Peabody College. After later earning his JD at Vanderbilt, he moved to Knoxville, Tennessee and was an attorney for Baker Worthington Barnett & Crossley. He then moved to Birmingham, Alabama, in 1972 and retired from BellSouth in 1995. He loved playing golf and the fellowship of the senior group of golfers at Altadena Valley Country Club. Tom is survived by his wife of 49 years, Jackie; two daughters; a son; two grandchildren; a sister; and several nieces and nephews. Posted 5.5.11
Frank Vandall published two books over the last year. A History of Civil Litigation: Political and Economic Perspectives was published by Oxford University Press in January, 2011. The Policy Debate Surrounding Gun Litigation in the United States: Handguns: The Law and Economics of the Hamilton v. Beretta Suit Against Handgun Manufacturers was published by Lambert Academic Press in July, 2010. Frank has taught at Emory University School of Law for forty years and specializes in torts and products liability. Posted 2.14.11
T. William Samuels, Jr., will retire as president of Maker's Mark on April 15, 2011 when he'll become chairman emeritus of the brand owned by Fortune Brands Inc., the company announced on January 12. His son, Rob, who was appointed chief operating officer last October, will lead the distillery in Loretto, the quiet rural community 45 miles south of Louisville that has been home to Maker's Mark since the 1950s. Posted 2.2.11
James H. Harris III has been certified by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization as a Civil Trial Specialist. Harris is a founding member of the Nashville firm of Harris Martin Jones. Prior to receiving his certification from the Tennessee commission, Harris was certified as a civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He focuses has practice on litigation, particularly in the music and entertainment industries. Posted 2.2.11
Fred Thompson's recently released memoir, Teaching the Pig to Dance , focuses on his childhood in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Posted 7.6.10
Our sympathy to Jim Cheek, whose wife, Sigourney, died April 26, 2010, after a five-year battle with leukemia. Sigourney was an active Nashville philanthropist who served on the boards of Magdalene House, where she held writing workshops, and the YWCA, where she was co-chairman of the recent Domestic Violence Shelter "Burn the Mortgage" Campaign. She also held leadership positions with Christ Church, Belmont University, Vanderbilt's Kennedy Center, Garden Club of Nashville, Leadership Nashville, The Swan Ball, The Steeplechase, the City of Belle Meade and Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission. She served as board chairman and president of Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and co-founded the Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville. "She felt that she had been very blessed in her life, and that she had the opportunity to make a difference in other people's lives," Jim said. "She was very driven in doing that." Posted 5.12.10
Thomas G. Bost has been named Interim Dean at Pepperdine School of Law. Tom is the former Chair of the Pepperdine's Board of Regents, and he has served as a Professor of Law at Pepperdine since 2000. He served as the law school's Associate Dean for Academics in 2009. His appointment becomes effective June 1. Tom specializes in tax and corporate law and has been prominent in the professional legal community for more than four decades. He was an Associate at Latham & Watkins in Los Angeles, California from 1968-75 and partner from 1975-99. He is currently a member of Fuller Theological Seminary Board of Trustees. At Pepperdine, Professor Bost was a member of the Board of Regents from 1974-2001 and its Chair for two decades from 1980-2000. He served on the Pepperdine School of Law Board of Visitors for two decades as well, from 1981-2000. Tom's wife Sheila currently serves on Pepperdine's Board of Regents. Posted 3.27.10
Jim Cheek has been named co-chair of the Coordinating Task Force on Financial Markets and Institutions for the American Bar Association Business Law Section. The newly formed committee will be developing ABA Section policies as they relate to the many national efforts under way in Congress and in various regulatory bodies to reform the U.S. regulatory structure applicable to financial institutions. Jim is a partner in Bass Berry & Sims. He is an adjunct professor of law at Vanderbilt University Law School where he teaches a course in current trends in mergers and acquisitions. He has been a member of the faculty of law at Jesus College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, where he taught a course on Advanced Company Law and Securities Regulation. Cheek has also been chairman of the Nashville Metropolitan Airport Authority Board since 2003. Posted 6.17.09
James Gooch and Jim Cheek of Bass Berry & Sims are among several Vanderbilt Law alumni who have been listed as "Best Lawyers in America" each year for the entire 25 years the listing has been published. Others including Ted Pappas '49, Bill Ozier '69, Jim Neal '57, Aubrey Harwell Jr. '71, Mike Kaplan '71 and R. Grafton Brown '59. Posted 6.17.08
Frank Vandall is a professor of law at Emory University. Frank recently attended conferences at Widener Law School, the University of Richmond Law School and Northwestern Law School, and he also published three articles in 2008: “The Criminalization of Products Liability: An Invitation to Political Abuse, Preemption, And Nonenforcement,” in Catholic University Law Review; “Why We Are Outraged: An Economic Analysis of Internet Gambling,” in the Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business, and “Should Manufacturers and Sellers of Lethal Products Be Subject to Criminal Prosecution?” in Widener Law Journal. Posted 1.22.09
Walter Lee Davis, Jr., a Johnson City, Tennessee, estate planning and probate attorney, has again been named a “Trusts and Estates Super Lawyer” for 2008 by Super Lawyers magazine. This is the third consecutive year that attorneys throughout Tennessee have elected Davis a Super Lawyer. Fewer than five percent of lawyers in any specialization area are named Super Lawyers. Walter was also designated in 2008 as one of the 150 Best Lawyers in Tennessee for the fourth consecutive year by Business Tennessee magazine. He was one of only eight trusts and estates lawyers so named in 2008. Walter is certified as an Accredited Estate Planner by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils. He is the 2008 president of this association with over 26,000 members drawn from the ranks of attorneys, accountants, trust officers, life underwriters and financial planners. He also holds the Estate Planning Law Specialist designation awarded by the Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc., the only organization authorized by the American Bar Association to certify estate planning lawyers. Walter is one of only twenty-one Tennessee attorneys who have been designated as Estate Planning Specialists by the Tennessee Supreme Court's Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. He was the eighth lawyer in the state to earn this certification. Walter is also a CPA and a real estate broker.Posted 12.2.08
James H. Cheek, III, a Bass, Berry & Sims partner, has been named among the 500 leading lawyers in America by Lawdragon, a national online and print legal-services information company. He is one of only three Tennessee attorneys so honored, all of whom are partners at Bass, Berry & Sims. Jim represents a number of public companies as well as investment banking firms in a wide variety of capital raising and merger and acquisition activities. He also acts as counsel for boards of directors and board committees on matters relating to corporate governance and corporate legal compliance. He graduated from Duke University in 1964 and received an LL.M. degree from Harvard University in 1968. He was a member of the editorial board of the Vanderbilt Law Review and was elected a member of the Order of the Coif. The Lawdragon 500 covers a broad spectrum of the legal profession private attorneys, in-house counsel, law professors, judges, prosecutors, government attorneys, public interest lawyers and Supreme Court Justices, and “features the most talented, respected and influential professionals handling the biggest legal matters of the year.” The list was selected from nearly 10,000 law firm submissions and online votes, as well as research by Lawdragon's editorial staff. Posted 11.3.08
Charles (Chuck) W. Dixon, died at home in Santa Fe, on September 23, 2008. A resident of Santa Fe since 1999, Chuck is survived by his wife, Mary Eileen. He earned his B.S. as well as his law degree from Vanderbilt. He began a distinguished 30-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1969. Highlights of his FBI career included trips to Hungary and Russia as the “Cold War” was ending to advise officials of those countries on the proper role of counter-intelligence agencies in democracies. After his retirement from the FBI in 2000, he returned to Washington, D.C., for a short period as a staff member of the commission for the review of FBI Security Programs. Chuck was very active in community affairs both in Alexandria, Virginia, where he resided for more than 25 years, and in Santa Fe. In Alexandria, he was an elder and choir member at Westminster Presbyterian Church and a member of the Alexandria Harmonizers. In Santa Fe, he was a member of the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity for seven years and served as the board's chairman from 2005 to 2008. A fundraising drive in Chuck's honor by Habitat for Humanity over the past several months resulted in the groundbreaking on September 13, 2008 of a “House of Hope” in Chuck's name. Chuck was an avid tennis player who also enjoyed hiking in Santa Fe's foothills. Posted on web 10.3.08
Saul C. Belz was named a Superlawyer in the 2008 Corporate Counsel Edition. The issue features the top lawyers in the field of Business Litigation who are selected based on peer recognition and professional achievement. Saul Belz is currently practicing in Memphis with Glankler Brown.
Walter Lee Davis, Jr. of Johnson City, Tenn., was elected President of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (“NAEPC”) at its 44th Annual Conference held November 14-16, 2007, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The NAEPC is a national organization of approximately 200 affiliated Estate Planning Councils with a membership of approximately 26,000 professional estate planners focused on establishing and monitoring the highest professional and educational standards. Walter is also licensed as a Certified Public Accountant and a Real Estate Broker and is certified as an Estate Planning Specialist by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization. He was awarded the Accredited Estate Planner designation by NAEPC in 1991. He was named by Business Tennessee magazine as one of the “101 Best Lawyers” in Tennessee in January 2005 and one of the “150 Best” in January 2006 and 2007. He has also been named a Mid-South Super Lawyer in 2006 and 2007.
Retired Col. John R. Brancato passed away Memorial Day, May 28, 2007. Col. Brancato retired from the U.S. Air Force on March 1, 1998, after 30 years of active duty service as a judge advocate (military lawyer). His final assignment was Staff Judge Advocate at Headquarters, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) at Hurlburt Field, Fla. In that capacity, he was lawyer to America's air commandos and the chief legal counsel of AFSOC. He and his wife Edda retired in Navarre, Florida, where John researched and wrote a wide body of historical and political essays, many of which were published in local print media. He was a member of the Santa Rosa County Republican Executive Committee, and worked behind the scenes on conservative campaigns and issues, especially ones affecting Santa Rosa County. He was a strong believer in the potential of the Navarre area. He is survived by his wife, Edda Brancato, and their two children.
H. Roy Berkenstock wrote an article published in both The Federal Lawyer and The Computer & Internet Lawyer entitled "The Provisional Application for Patent: Its Place in Intellectual Property Protection." He is a member of Wyatt Tarrant & Combs in the Intellectual Property Practice Group, where he concentrates his practice in patents, trademarks, copyrights, and related matters. He has served on the board of directors of the American Corporate Counsel Association and as chairman of its Intellectual Property Committee.