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Memorial to Karla Gothard
As prepared and presented by Ardena Garth

Karla Gothard was a proud native of Chattanooga, a proud criminal defense lawyer, and a proud woman.

To say someone was a proud woman in this year of 2018 is a little like saying someone has brown eyes or blond hair. But when Karla started practicing law in 1981, it meant she had already fought and won more battles than most of us will face in a lifetime.  

Although Karla was diagnosed with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis during her first year of practice, she fought the disease valiantly through the rest of her life. She kept a poster in her office, it said—Ginger Rogers took every step Fred Astaire did, she just did it backwards and in high heels. And, that was Karla. The disease finally compromised her ability to breath and she had to take an early retirement in 2014. She died December 20, 2017.  

Karla was born July 7, 1954, to Walter L. (Dub) Gothard and Mary Tidwell Gothard.  She was the product of Chattanooga’s public schools and a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University.  She received her law degree from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. She worked in health care in Murfreesboro for several years before going to law school. The idea that women might make a career in the law was still novel at that time and she was part of a 10% quota of women and minorities established for the freshman class at Cumberland in 1978. 

She excelled in law school.  She booked Property, was invited to write for law review, but opted for the more proactive Trial Journal, and saw as many movies as she could during every “dead week.” She took and passed the Georgia Bar during her last semester in law school and was licensed in Tennessee the following fall. She graduated in the top of her class. She was especially proud of the fact she was the first female attorney sworn in in Walker County, Georgia, and her Georgia license gave “him” the right to practice law in Georgia. 

Employment for females in the law was just beginning to be accepted. Females, even females at the top of their class, were not given much encouragement. Some were even bluntly told they would not be trying cases, they would be expected to provide support for the male attorneys in the firm or organization they might join. They would carry the brief cases. The truth of that was borne out by observation of the courts in Chattanooga. You could count on one hand, usually with two fingers, the women who were trying cases in Chattanooga courts.

       Karla wanted to return to Chattanooga to practice so she and fellow Cumberland student, Mary Ann Green, decided they would forgo the traditional job hunting and interviews and would form a partnership and hang out their shingle in Chattanooga after they graduated. She wanted to try cases and to make a difference and she did—a successful age discrimination case against a multi-state company in federal court; a successful class action suit against a local man who, under the guise of running a “mission” for homeless women, was taking their government checks and sexually abusing them; and, an array of pro bono services for men referred by Chattanooga Cares. But Karla’s first love was the representation of indigent defendants in criminal court.

       When the public defender system was started in Tennessee in 1989, Karla was first in line for a job in that office. She was hired as Executive Assistant Public Defender. She remained in that position until her early retirement for medical reasons. She never considered it a “job.”  She was in her element when she was in a courtroom, in front of a jury, defending the citizen accused. And, she was good.  

       During her almost 25 years of service to Tennessee in the Chattanooga public defender’s office Karla represented numerous high profile clients on charges ranging from first degree murder to petty theft. She represented self-proclaimed racists and mothers arrested for shoplifting food or diapers for their babies with the same care, thoroughness and professionalism. She respected them all and she was always ready with her answer when asked “how can you represent those people.” “We are all children of God,” she would say. 

       In 2007 she was lead counsel in the re-trial of the first person in Tennessee to be listed on the national Death Penalty Information Center’s List of Innocence. The accused had spent 20 years behind bars, most of it on Tennessee’s death row. 

       Karla was a past president of the Tennessee Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and received that organization’s highest award for outstanding work in death penalty defense.  She participated several times in the NAACP Legal Defense Fund’s invitation only capital defense training conference at Airlie Conference Center in Warrenton, Virginia.  She loved helping young lawyers especially the interns sent to the Chattanooga public defender’s office from around the world through a program at the University of Birmingham, England.  

       Before being stricken with arthritis Karla played the violin and soft pitch soft ball.  She was an award winning racket ball player.  She was an Episcopalian, a member of Grace Episcopal Church, and an avid, or some might say, rabid, fan of the Braves and the Titans.  She loved to read about local history and was immensely proud of the roles her ancestors played, large and small, in the growth and development of the Chattanooga area. She told riveting stories about the Gothard family and the history of this area.

       Karla and Mary Ann Green were life partners as well as law partners and were together for 37 years. As soon as the U.S. Supreme Court and their church approved, they were married in 2015.  She is survived by Mary Ann and their dog, Bonnie, and by her niece, Krisi Hamm Johnson, great niece, Grace Johnson, and great nephews, Logan and Aidan Johnson.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 2nd day of March, 2018, that Karla Gothard’s good deeds and kindness be memorialized through this Resolution, and be adopted by this Association as words of respect, praise and memory. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed in the archives of the Chattanooga Bar Association and be enrolled in the Memorial Resolution Book of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that a copy be presented to his family as a token of the esteem and honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss. 

CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
William G. Colvin, 2017 President

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Memorial to Charles Oren Hon III
As prepared and presented by Robert J. Batson, Jr.

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Memorial to Gayle Anderson Lattimore
As prepared by the Family of Gayle Lattimore and presented by The Chattanooga Bar Association

Gayle Anderson Lattimore, 64, passed away Wednesday, January 25, 2017.

Born in Chattanooga, on March 8, 1952, she was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.

Gayle graduated at the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science summa cum laude and continued on to the Nashville School of Law graduating with a Doctor of Jurisprudence.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Franklin and Mildred Anderson; and also her brother, David Anderson.

Survivors include her husband, Charles “Chuck” F. Lattimore, IV; son, Jason Lattimore; grandson, Jackson Lattimore; brothers, Monte (Tina) Anderson and Wayne Anderson.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 2nd day of March, 2018, that Gayle Anderson Lattimore’s good deeds and kindness be memorialized through this Resolution, and be adopted by this Association as words of respect, praise and memory. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed in the archives of the Chattanooga Bar Association and be enrolled in the Memorial Resolution Book of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that a copy be presented to his family as a token of the esteem and honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss. 

CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
William G. Colvin, 2017 President
 
 

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Memorial to Maurice Joseph McBrien, Jr.
As prepared by Shawn J. McBrien and presented by Ronnie Berke

       Maurice Joseph McBrien, Jr., Esq., of Chattanooga, died on March 8, 2017.

       He was born on January 21, 1929 to Cora Lee Ellis McBrien of Ellisville, TN and Michael McBrien of Glenon Beg, Ballinamore, County Leitrim, Ireland.

       Joe attended the St. Thomas Military School and graduated from Notre Dame High School. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1952 from the famous Cumberland School of Law while in its original location in Lebanon, Tennessee. While in law school, he was a member of the Blue Key Honor Fraternity.

       Two days after graduating from Cumberland School of Law, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and reported to Ft. Knox for basic training.  Once his service was over, he returned to Lebanon, Tennessee to study for the bar exam.  He spent the next 3 months studying, took the bar exam and scored the highest on the exam at that time.

       He returned to Chattanooga and engaged in the private practice of law for 48 years.  Joe was very proud of his law license and the ability it gave him to support his family.  He initially had a very general practice of law in bankruptcy, criminal law, adoption, personal injury and general litigation.  He was known to literally fight for his clients and was always very generous with clients and those in his daily life.  Later, his practice was concentrated in personal injury cases and though there were heated arguments with the defense bar and insurance adjusters, many became his friends.  He was licensed to practice in the State of Tennessee and in the District, Appellate and Supreme Court of the United States.

       Mr. McBrien is survived by four sons: Shawn (& wife Karen), Brett, Clay (& wife Frances), and Michael McBrien, and seven grandchildren he was very proud of: Jacob, Joshua, Jonathan, Kaitlyn, Caroline, Emily and Patrick.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 2nd day of March, 2018, that Maurice Joseph McBrien, Jr.’s good deeds and kindness be memorialized through this Resolution, and be adopted by this Association as words of respect, praise and memory. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed in the archives of the Chattanooga Bar Association and be enrolled in the Memorial Resolution Book of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that a copy be presented to his family as a token of the esteem and honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss. 

CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
William G. Colvin, 2017 President 

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Memorial to Robert L. McMurray
As prepared and presented by Marcia M. McMurray

       Thank you to the Chattanooga Bar Association from me and my family for the honor of remembering my father, Robert L. McMurray, who passed away on May 30, 2017, at the age of 87, shortly before his 88th birthday.  As I thought of how to memorialize him, three aspects of his life repeatedly came to mind–faith, family, and the law.  Intertwined with all three are his wit and humor, care and concern for others, and love of life.

       Bob’s Christian faith was strong and evident in all he did.  He knew he was a child of God and his life would not end when he departed this earth, but that he would have everlasting life with his Lord and Savior.  Always active in the church, Bob served on the vestries of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church on Signal Mountain and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland, Tennessee.  He also was a lay reader, chalice bearer, and lay Eucharistic minister for many years.  Several years before his death, and after moving back to Signal Mountain, he and my mother became two of the earliest members of Anglican Church of the Redeemer in Chattanooga where he participated in ministry and supported its growth.

       Bob was the youngest of three children.  His father, Dr. Arthur McMurray, was a country veterinarian, and his mother, Frances Osborn McMurray, taught high school English, which may have influenced Bob’s professional interest in legal writing and emphasis on plain English rather than legalese.  Because my grandfather was somewhat nomadic, the family moved fairly often.  Bob began high school in Columbia, Tennessee, attended McMinn County High School in Athens, Tennessee, for a year or so, and then returned to Columbia where he graduated from Columbia Central High School.  Known for his sense of humor, he was voted the wittiest boy in his senior class.

       Bob graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor of science degree in business administration.  In his junior year he met my mother, Maury Leftwich of Memphis, Tennessee, who was a freshman at Stephens College.  After a short courtship they eloped, which undoubtedly greatly surprised their families. However, this young couple apparently knew what they were doing because their wonderful marriage lasted more than 67 years until Bob’s death.

       I am the oldest of Bob’s and Maury’s four daughters, followed by Cathy, Ginger, and Louise.  Our father sometimes referred to us by numbers, and my sisters often had multiple names when he called them--Marcia-Cathy-Ginger-Louise, stopping whenever he got to the right name.  This was never a problem for me because I was daughter number one and my name came first.  I am not sure my sisters felt the same way, but all of us knew we were all number one daughters in his heart. 

       After college graduation Bob and Maury, with baby Marcia in tow, moved to Massachusetts where Bob was employed in a management training program with General Electric.  However, as an undergraduate Bob had taken several law courses that piqued his interest and changed his professional ambition.  After a year in Massachusetts the family moved to Nashville for Bob to attend Vanderbilt Law School, where he was on the Vanderbilt Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif.  

       After graduation the family, which now included toddler Cathy, moved to Columbia, Tennessee, where Bob began his legal practice.  When Bob accepted a position with the Noone firm in Chattanooga, the family, with the addition of baby Ginger, moved again, ultimately settling on Signal Mountain.  A few years later Louise arrived.  Perhaps because Bob lived in a house full of females, he always insisted on the family dogs being males.  

       Bob’s practice focused primarily on litigation the first several years, but he developed a strong interest in estate, trust, and taxation work.  After attending New York University for post-graduate taxation courses, he devoted more and more emphasis to these areas.

       In 1964 Bob accepted a partnership position with the Bell firm in Cleveland.  He commuted for several months until the end of the school year. When the family made the move to Cleveland, each of my parents drove a car.  My sisters and I rode with our father–all of us crying because we were leaving our home and friends. His solution to handle this problem was to stop at the first dairy stand in Cleveland and buy all of us ice cream cones.  Fortunately, the move went well. Bob’s practice and legal expertise grew, and our family soon called Cleveland home.

       Being an active participant in the legal community, giving back to it, and mentoring young lawyers were high priorities for Bob.  He was a member of the American Bar Association (serving on the Standing Committee on Legal Drafting), the Tennessee Bar Association (serving on the board of governors and as president), and the Bradley County Bar Association (serving as president). He also maintained his membership in the Chattanooga Bar Association until his death. Additionally, he was a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a charter Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation (serving on the board of trustees and as chairman), a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (serving as State Chairman), and a member of the Chattanooga Estate Planning Council (serving as a director). Other professional activities included serving on the Tennessee Supreme Court Commission on Specialization, the Tennessee Legislature’s Study Sub-Committee on Inheritance Tax Laws, and the Tennessee Probate Study Group. He wrote several published articles primarily concerning estates, trusts, and business matters, and presented numerous seminars. Many of my colleagues across the state have told me over the years how much they learned from my father through personal contact, seminars, and writings.

       My father often told me that his father taught him the importance of thinking of the other man.  (Today I would say thinking of the other person.)  This attitude prevailed in his professional life.  Since his retirement and then after his death numerous clients have told me how much my father meant to them, not only for his legal counsel but also because of his genuine interest in them, their families, and their businesses.

       While being very detail oriented and focused in his work, Bob was not always known for paying close attention in other matters.  Mike Callaway, a former partner, tells the following story.  When Bob gave up smoking cigarettes he took up a pipe.  When the tobacco got low in the bowl he would hook his pipe over the edge of his trash can.  Hallman Bell, the senior partner, told Bob not to do that because he would set fire to his office.  Around this time my mother gave my father a new cashmere sweater for Christmas.  One day, Mike was walking down the hall and noticed smoke coming from Bob’s office.  Sure enough, the trash was on fire, and the only thing at hand for Mike to smother it was the cashmere sweater.  According to Mike, Bob was pretty chagrined about the situation.  I am not sure how my mother took the news.

       Although as a child and young adult I never thought of becoming a lawyer, I was fortunate to change course in my mid-thirties.  Even then, while attending Vanderbilt Law School I did not think I would practice law with my father, as Nashville had been my home for many years and I planned to stay there.  Life, however, takes unexpected turns.  After law school I returned to Cleveland to practice law in the Bell firm with my father.  Nine years later, in a very friendly move, we formed our own firm, McMurray Law Office, where we practiced together for another 13 years until he retired.  There are no words to express my appreciation to my father for all he taught me–as a person and as a lawyer, and it is not possible to fill his shoes.

       Bob especially enjoyed music and dancing.  He played the snare drums in his high school and college bands.  He and my mother would dance in the kitchen to records on the stereo.  He sang to us at bedtime, sometimes making up new words for songs.  Even after he developed Alzheimer’s Disease he continued to play his drumsticks on a table, keeping perfect beat with music on CDs, until a month before his death.  As this terrible disease progressed, he lost more and more memory.  Bob never was one to boast and was modest about his success.  However, one day, when much of his memory was gone and Alzheimer’s had taken away inhibitions, someone asked him what kind of lawyer he had been.  He replied “A damn good one!”  That he was.

       Thank you again for allowing me to remember my father and share some of his life with you.  May he and the other attorneys honored today be long remembered fondly by their families, friends, and colleagues.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 2nd day of March, 2018, that Robert L. McMurray’s good deeds and kindness be memorialized through this Resolution, and be adopted by this Association as words of respect, praise and memory. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed in the archives of the Chattanooga Bar Association and be enrolled in the Memorial Resolution Book of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that a copy be presented to his family as a token of the esteem and honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss. 

CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
William G. Colvin, 2017 President

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Memorial to Honorable Douglas A. Meyer
As prepared and presented by Honorable Russell Bean

Judge Douglas A. Meyer was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on November 30, 1932.  His parents were Frank and Kathrine Meyer.  The family owned and operated Meyer’s Business Machine Company. Doug had two brothers, Frank Jr. and Gene. Young Doug graduated from Chattanooga City High School and after serving in the United States Army, graduated from the University of Chattanooga.  He then received his law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1956.

Attorney Doug Meyer began the practice of law in Chattanooga in 1957.  He had attended law school with some other young notable attorneys. Some of those were Sam Payne, Leroy Phillips, Clarence Shattuck and John Henniss.  Each Monday the Courts had a docket call and afterwards those attorneys, along with a few others, would go across the street for coffee at the Fountain Square Drug Store.  A few years afterwards I came along and I was then a law partner with Leroy Phillips. Therefore, I got to go to the drug store and I would listen to how these attorneys would try their cases and their legal tactics.  I even heard about their losses and how the Judges were wrong in ruling against their arguments. I truly believe that I learned more about how to try a lawsuit at the drug store than I did in law school. 

       While handling his legal cases Attorney Doug Meyer met a young Court Reporter by the name of Carol Burkhart.  As they say, the rest is history. After courtship, Doug and Carol married and remained married until Judge Meyer’s passing in 2017.

From 1961 until 1967, Attorney Meyer served as an Assistant District Attorney General and as the Assistant County Attorney for Hamilton County.  Then Doug became Judge Meyer as he was appointed Chattanooga City Judge in January of 1977 and was elected to that position in which he served until August, 1982.  At that time, he was elected to Division I of the Hamilton County Criminal Court bench and he began his service on September 1, 1982.  He was re-elected twice, retiring from the bench on August 31, 2006. 

Judge Meyer was active in his community. He was a past president of the Chattanooga Jaycees, and served Joseph Johnson Mental Health Center, the Hamilton County Mental Health Association, Bethel Bible Village and both Chattanooga High and University of Chattanooga Alumni Associations. He served on the Boards of Trustees of the University of Chattanooga, Orange Grove School, Chattanooga Area Literacy Movement and Chattanooga Area Council on Alcoholism. He was a member of the Temple Lodge Number 430 F. and A.M., Scottish Rites, and Alhambra Shrine.

Judge Meyer was an avid reader and pursued knowledge throughout his life. He enjoyed the study of history and as a dedicated genealogist was a member of Clan Douglass, the Scottish Society of Chattanooga, and Sons of the American Revolution. As Judge he frequently attended the National Judicial College, the American Academy of Judicial Education and Education Conferences. As a keen student of history he often entertained jurors with history trivia while waiting on attorneys during voir dire.  

Judge Meyer presided over thousands of cases during his career including some that gained national prominence. One of those cases showed that Judge Meyer was truly a renaissance judge. In that case two Defendant brothers had set a forest fire. Judge Meyer gave the two active time and in doing so eluded to the dangers to human life and property by forest fires. He made these statements many years before the horrific Gatlinburg fires that destroyed lives and property.

Because of this, the National Forest Service named him as their caped crusader and actually did a national poster signifying Judge Meyer’s accomplishments.

Another case where Judge Meyer made national news was the Chattanooga case involving the lynching of Ed Johnson in 1906.  Ed Johnson was a young black man and a mob took him from the jail and hung him for allegedly raping a white girl. As most of you know, Leroy Phillips had written a book about this entitled “Contempt of Court”. Later Leroy filed a Petition to Dismiss the rape charges on Ed Johnson and lo and behold this came up in Judge Meyer’s court. After argument and a hearing of the facts Judge Meyer dismissed all charges against Ed Johnson and declared that he was an innocent man. This ruling was heard throughout the United States.

As to his personal life, Judge Meyer was an avid golfer. He resided on the Rivermont Golf Course where he often enjoyed playing a round of golf with his friends. He also enjoyed walking the course. He loved animals. His constant companions were his dogs many of which were Scotties and Westies. He was intrigued with hippos and had a collection of miniatures given to him by his many friends.

After a very moving retirement reception for him in his Courtroom in August of 2006, Doug and Carol moved to Daytona Beach Shores, Florida. His home was near the beach where he walked daily. He enjoyed hosting friends from Chattanooga. I was privileged to visit and I saw the beautiful view they had of the Atlantic Ocean and the beach on which he walked. When he encountered failing health he and Carol moved to Nashville to be close to their son Rob who is a practicing attorney.

Judge Meyer passed away on February 12, 2017, at the age of 84. He is survived by his wife, Carol Meyer and sons Alex and Rob, daughter-in-law Liesel and grandsons Blake and Will, brother Gene, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Judge Meyer served Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and the State of Tennessee with honor and distinction. He is fondly remembered. He touched a lot of lives. He was respected as a Judge who carefully considered both sides of an issue and displayed fairness and compassion to all litigants.

I want to personally thank his family for choosing me to give this presentation. It is an honor and privilege to tell about this great man.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 2nd day of March, 2018, that The Honorable Douglas A. Meyer’s good deeds and kindness be memorialized through this Resolution, and be adopted by this Association as words of respect, praise and memory. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed in the archives of the Chattanooga Bar Association and be enrolled in the Memorial Resolution Book of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that a copy be presented to his family as a token of the esteem and honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss. 

CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
William G. Colvin, 2017 President

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Memorial to The Honorable Don Moore
A s prepared by the Family of Honorable Don Moore and presented by Rheubin M. Taylor

Judge Don Moore died peacefully on November 28, 2017, at age 89.

       He was a 1946 graduate of Chattanooga High School, attended Emory University, and obtained his law degree from the University of Tennessee. He graduated from the National Judicial College, University of Nevada at Reno in 1979. He served his country twice in the U.S. Army, first during World War II, as a military policeman with the European Theater, and then during the Korean War with the 822nd Tank Battalion. He was released from service as a staff sergeant in the Army Reserves in 1951.

       Early in his career, he was a partner of Moore & Moore Contractors and a Chattanooga attorney.  He was elected in 1956 and 1964 to the Tennessee House of Representatives and in 1966 to the Tennessee State Senate, and he served as Chairman of the Fiscal Review Committee in the 85thTennessee General Assembly from 1967-1969.  From 1974-1978 he was the county judge of Hamilton County, the chief administrator of Hamilton County. Subsequently, he served as the Hamilton County Court Judge, on the bench from 1978-1982. He followed up his political career as a local attorney.

       He was named Legislative Conservationist of the Year in 1968. He used his influence to secure a second Hamilton County criminal court, to develop the relationship between Hamilton County and Erlanger Hospital, to secure participation in the State of TN TCRS retirement plan for Hamilton County employees, and to incorporate the University of Chattanooga into the UT state university system. He was a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, State Bar of Georgia, the American Legion, Chattanooga Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (32° KCCH), East Lake Lodge #698, Elks Club, Alhambra Shrine, and Chattanooga Flyers.

       He loved to travel, fly small planes, golf, build personal computers and to attend UT Football games.  He was a member of Brainerd United Methodist Church.

       He was preceded in death by his father, Don M. Moore, Sr.; mother, Frances Moore Rowe; brother, Kenneth A. Moore, Sr.; and sister-in-law, Jean R. Moore.

       Left behind to cherish Don’s memory are his daughters, Lisa M. “Mikki” Schnur (Rick); Deidre M. “Dee Dee” Keylon (Mark); loving companion, Sara M. Moore; nephew, Ken Moore (Kathy); niece, Debbie Steele, her children, Jarod Ownbey and Kaitlyn Steele; niece, Diane Austin, and her daughter, Ashley Kershaw.

  THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 2nd day of March, 2018, that The Honorable Don Moore’s good deeds and kindness be memorialized through this Resolution, and be adopted by this Association as words of respect, praise and memory. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed in the archives of the Chattanooga Bar Association and be enrolled in the Memorial Resolution Book of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that a copy be presented to his family as a token of the esteem and honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss. 
 
CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
William G. Colvin, 2017 President 

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Memorial to James Gordon Petty
As prepared by J. Gregory Petty and presented by Chattanooga Bar Association

       Gordon Petty passed away on September 23, 2017.

       We are all born into situations beyond our control, and who your parents are is complete chance. This being said, I consider myself to be lucky beyond all measure to have had Gordon Petty be both my father and friend. He was known in many circles as the affable state attorney for Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institution, where he served for over 30 years, before moving on to being a magistrate for Hamilton County.

       Over the years he would teach myself, and my three siblings, many valuable life lessons. Many of which, we have carried on with us through the years. The best insight I can give into Gordon Petty is by sharing some of the lessons he taught me, and how he lived that wisdom in everyday life.

       Family is important.

       I was called little Gordon until I was about 12, and even then I would still occasionally hear it after that. That’s because my father took me everywhere, including the courthouses and his office. We would always walk and talk, and he'd always treat me to lunch somewhere downtown or an ice cream cone if it was the end of the day. He had a full workload, but he made it clear that he was a father first. After I graduated college, we made it a point to go to lunch or dinner as much as possible around my work schedule. Despite the roles reversing to a degree, the fact remained that family is important and he was a father first.

       Being a well-rounded person is one of the greatest accomplishments a person can obtain.
My father could talk about legal subjects for hours. He could also help you fix your tail light, explain the shotgun offense in football, hang a light fixture, and cook one of the best pots of chili you'd ever taste. He believed that specialization has a place in the world, but so did the ability to learn and grow in all facets of life.

       The value of human life.
       One of the earliest lessons he taught me was the key to relationships was understanding where people were coming from. If you understood their values and beliefs, you could work through almost any problem you had between you. My father donated his time and effort to local schools, Boy Scouts, The Toastmasters, and his church. My father knew it wasn't good enough to exist, you had to contribute and help. He volunteered to meet new people, engage with them, better understand them, and along the way make his community better. It would have been easy for him not to volunteer, he was an attorney with four kids and a wife. That would fill up most people's plates to the brim. I think he just saw the bigger picture.

       THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 2nd day of March, 2018, that James Gordon Petty’s good deeds and kindness be memorialized through this Resolution, and be adopted by this Association as words of respect, praise and memory. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed in the archives of the Chattanooga Bar Association and be enrolled in the Memorial Resolution Book of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that a copy be presented to his family as a token of the esteem and honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss. 

CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
William G. Colvin, 2017 President

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Memorial to John Bartlett Quinn
As prepared and presented by Justin L. Furrow

       Bart Quinn passed away far too soon on April 5, 2017, after a long and tenacious health battle.  He was just shy of his 56th birthday.

       Bart was born and raised in Chattanooga.  He grew up terrorizing the streets of North Chattanooga, and liked to remind everyone that he lived there far before it was the popular place to be.  He went to Normal Park Elementary School and graduated from Boyd-Buchanan High School and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  Bart received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law.
Bart returned to Chattanooga where he successfully practiced law for over 30 years.  He was a member of Chambliss for the last 20 years, focusing primarily on labor and employment law.  But, more importantly, he spent most of those 20 years enriching the lives of his work friends, whether through his quick wit, keen sense of humor, or endless stream of jokes and office antics (many still talk about the Quinn mural series that adorned office windows at the Tallan Building for several months). 

       Bart truly loved being an attorney, some days more than others, and he quickly became an expert.  He’d inspire feelings of inferiority for those early in their careers who would ask questions only to have him quickly quip an answer without having to do to any research whatsoever.  He always seemed to have at least an educated guess about whatever he was discussing.  But of course, after you knew Bart much better, it became apparent that most of the time he was right, and as for the rest, he just made it up, stated it with authority, and hoped you didn’t notice.  
Bart’s approach to law practice was actually quite simple, although it was exceptionally effective.  His strategy became clear early on, when we were faced with a significant and complicated issue.  After the initial research, I went to Bart for his advice on how he wanted to proceed.  He listened (most of the time intently), and then provided his sage wisdom: “Well, let’s figure it out and not screw it up.”  While that response was maddening at the time, I now better understand that we really should endeavor to approach more problems this way, both in life and law—just figure it out, and hope not to screw it up.
       
        But the legal lessons Bart taught pale in comparison to the life lessons he shared.  That’s because he liked being a lawyer, but he was not consumed by it.  He instead placed higher value on his more important purposes in life—being a devoted husband, loving father, doting grandfather, proud brother, and fun-loving friend.  And Bart demonstrated that it is these relationships that actually matter most in life, not whether you have returned the last call or responded to the final email.

       This conclusion is obvious because often the best memories of Bart don’t involve the actual practice of law.  Instead, they are him leaving work early on Monday afternoons to go fishing with his daughters, and then his granddaughter.  Or the long weekends or beach trips he went on with his entire family, or a group of close friends that he considered family.  There were the business trips that almost always included a stop at a Harley Davidson shop.  Or the time that he bought a dirt bike while he was supposed to be at lunch, and then rode dirt bikes during the middle of the workday.  Or there were the lunches with friends that turned into an afternoon of roaming around town “running errands.”
Stories like this are countless.  And, at the time, it may have seemed as though Bart was just wasting time or having fun when he should have been at work helping to get the brief out or the research finalized.  It’s now clear that Bart knew what was more important—he understood that cultivating and nurturing these relationships mattered more than anything that was going on at the office.  But he never failed his clients or his partners—his family was just “number one.”

       When someone like Bart unexpectedly dies at such a young age, they are immediately missed.  But it often takes a bit of time and reflection to understand what that person truly meant to you.  In the last 11 months, while we have all missed many things about Bart, it has become clear to me that one of the things we miss the most is how he made things so much more fun.  Even when the circumstances were important and serious, he always had a unique way of injecting levity and humor.  He simply made life in general, and certainly the practice of law, fun.
So, as we go back to practicing law and navigating through life, let us all remember Bart’s three best lessons—to figure it out and not screw it up, pay attention to the relationships that really matter, and all the while have fun in the process.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 2nd day of March, 2018, that John Bartlett Quinn’s good deeds and kindness be memorialized through this Resolution, and be adopted by this Association as words of respect, praise and memory. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed in the archives of the Chattanooga Bar Association and be enrolled in the Memorial Resolution Book of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that a copy be presented to his family as a token of the esteem and honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss. 

CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
William G. Colvin, 2017 President

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Memorial to Geoffrey Gardiner Young
As prepared by Edward N. Boehm and John Henry, Jr. and presented by John Henry, Jr.

I have the honor today to present this resolution to the memory of my friend and colleague, Geoffrey Young.

       Geoff was born in New York, and raised in Connecticut. He attended Princeton University, as did his father before him, and was a lifelong benefactor of his alma mater. Following undergraduate school, Geoff taught at the Groton School, in Massachusetts, a school from which he, as a young man, had graduated with distinction. 

       Geoff attended law school at the Vermont College of law, and following graduation, he came here, to Chattanooga, to work with the firm, Witt, Gaither and Whitaker. That is where I first met Geoff.
During his legal career, he was counsel to many of the principal businesses that have distinguished Chattanooga: Coke Consolidated; Dixie Yarns; Signal Apparel; Wayne Gossard Corporation: and Southern Saddlery, to name but a few. 
Geoff’s legal career began with Witt, Gaither and Whitaker, and included almost 10 years with Miller and Martin. 

        His life as an attorney and counsellor was noteworthy, not only for his dedication and commitment to his clients, but also for his commitment to the community. The list of his civic accomplishments is extensive- and illustrative of his public spirit and kind and generous nature:
Geoff was board president of the Fortwood Center, now the Helen Ross McNabb Center, board president of Girl’s Inc.; trustee of The Bright School; trustee of Girls Preparatory School; board chair at Memorial Healthcare System Foundation, Executive Committee at Partnership for Families, Children and Adults, Chairman of the Alumni Schools Committee for southern Tennessee for Princeton University, founding board member for the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, board chair and board member for over 20 years for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga, and board chair for Rosewood Supportive Services Inc. Additionally, Geoff was a member of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga, and a member and vestry member of St Paul’s Episcopal Church. He counseled The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy.

       A loving father, and devoted husband to his wife Jean, he is survived by his sons Matthew and Logan and their families, and his step-children, Zack and Jenifer. 

       A scholar, a lawyer, a father – my friend- Geoff Young- he will be missed.

       THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 2nd day of March, 2018, that Geoffrey Gardiner Young’s good deeds and kindness be memorialized through this Resolution, and be adopted by this Association as words of respect, praise and memory. 


BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed in the archives of the Chattanooga Bar Association and be enrolled in the Memorial Resolution Book of the Circuit and Chancery Courts of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and that a copy be presented to his family as a token of the esteem and honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss.

CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION
William G. Colvin, 2017 President