MEMORIAL RESOLUTION 2023

2023 MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS

MEMORIAL TO
JESSE OCSCAR FARR
AS PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY HARRY B. RAY, ESQ.

Jesse Oscar Farr was born on December 7, 1938, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was the only child of Elbert Anderson Farr and Margaret Evelina (Bymum) Farr. He grew up and lived in Soddy-Daisy most of his life.


Jesse, who passed away on March 20, 2022, was survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Akemi Yoshida Farr; children by his first marriage, Jesse Farr, Jr, Charles Patrick Farr, and Chad Tyler Farr; and several grand-children.  Jesse was a wonderful step-father and was dearly loved by his step-children, Eddie Bentz, Anna Lyons, and Wally Bentz; and many loving step grand and great grand-children. He was predeceased by his first-born son, Elbert Anderson Farr, II, who died at the age of 6. 


Jesse graduated from Chattanooga City High School and then received his B.A. from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1966. He earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee School of Law at Knoxville in 1969. He practiced law in Chattanooga beginning in 1970, primarily as a sole practitioner. He started out in criminal law, but then shifted his focus to personal injury practice.


Most of the older lawyers in the bar will remember that Jesse in his early years sported a long dark ponytail. He had quite a reputation as being a maverick attorney. I first met Jesse one morning in 1979 in Judge Sam Payne’s court room. When I learned who he was, I told him I had heard a lot about him. He jokingly replied, “And I bet none of it was good.” I liked him immediately.


I became reacquainted with Jesse in 1995 during my term as the CBA Bar President.  He had changed his appearance considerably by then and could easily blend in with any crowd of lawyers.  The Internet was just becoming a thing at that time. Jesse had the foresight to see its enormous potential to serve the legal profession. He was a leader in the Chattanooga Bar in helping to harness the power that the Internet offered. He was instrumental in developing the first web page of the Chattanooga Bar Association. He also worked many long hours to help digitize the public law library which was located in the Courts Building. In addition, Jesse helped to develop an online chat room for the Chattanooga Bar Association. Jesse served our profession in several other important ways. He was President of the Chattanooga Trial Lawyers Association. Throughout his years of practice Jesse was a champion of those who were up against the system and did not have a clue where to start. He often assisted on a pro bono basis both informally and as a volunteer for Legal Aid of Southeastern Tennessee. In 2008 he was nominated for their Volunteer Attorney of the Year Award. His picture was featured along with two other lawyers in Karen Nazor Hill’s Town Talk column.


Jesse was a racing enthusiast. He often went to the Talladega races with his sons and stepsons. They would travel and stay in a vintage 70’s Canyon Lands RV. Jesse had the valuable gift of being able to repair his own cars and RV’s and loved to tinker with them.  Jesse was also an avid pilot. He owned more than one airplane during his lifetime. 



No memorial of Jesse would be complete without noting how much he loved cheeseburgers. His favorite was from Central Park. But after they went out of business, he found that the double cheeseburger from Hardee’s was quite good.


A glimpse of who Jesse was can be seen in the way he met and treated his wife. Some 36 years ago, he told a friend he wanted to meet an Asian lady. She told him about Akemi Yoshida Bentz who was Japanese. So, without any advance notice he showed up on her doorstep, introduced himself and asked her out. Their first dates led to marriage which lasted until he died. Towards the end of his life, his step-daughter Anna drove Jesse around to his doctor’s appointments. He would tell Anna during those car rides that her mother, his “Honey San,” as he called her, was the love of his life and how happy she had made him. 


Jesse was a brilliant man and one of many talents. He knew how to have fun, but more importantly, at the core he was a kind, loving person. He unselfishly gave of his time to those who needed it most. He loved and was loved by his wife, children and step-children. His contributions both to the legal profession and to humanity will be long remembered and appreciated.


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that Jesse O. Farr’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. 



MEMORIAL TO
BRUCE ARTHUR HANKINSON
PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY THE CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION

Bruce Arthur Hankinson, 77, of Soddy Daisy, passed away on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.


Bruce received his doctorate in jurisprudence and was a self-employed attorney. He made clocks as a hobby, and really enjoyed carpentry, woodwork, boating, fishing, reading and music. Bruce attended church and Sunday School at Red Bank Baptist Church.


He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Vincent and Blanche Lujeanne Austin Hankinson.


Survivors include his children, Sarah Rebecca Hankinson Hernandez, Mark Andrew Hankinson and their mother, Julie Neufeld; grandchildren, Sierra Angela Hankinson and Juliana Lucina Hernandez; sisters, Sharyl Hankinson (Dave) Tholen of Indianapolis, IN; Pamela Hankinson (Don) Bonsper of Carmel Valley, CA; brothers, Keith (Donna) Hankinson of Monroe, GA, Mark (Susan) Hankinson of Murrieta, CA, and Scott (Erin) Hankinson of Ft. Myers, FL.


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that Bruce A. Hankinson’s membership with the Chattanooga Bar Association 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.




MEMORIAL TO
THOMAS SWAIN KALE
AS PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY HOWELL DEAN CLEMENTS

Thomas Swain Kale (“Tom”) was born in Mooresville, North Carolina on October 2, 1939 to William Arthur and Ruth Rogers Kale. Tom graduated from Durham High School before heading to Duke University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1961 and his law degree from the Duke University Law School in 1964. 


Tom was the second of three generations of Blue Devils. His father taught at the divinity school. Tom’s wife, and the one true love of his life, the former Carlotta Satterfield, “Cotty” as she was known, also enrolled at Duke University. During her freshman year she met and agreed to marry Tom and relocate to Chattanooga. They would enjoy 51 years of marriage together before Cotty passed in 2013.


Tom accepted a job offer with Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams and began his practice with them in 1964. Tom spent his entire 53-year career with Spears Moore. He led the firm’s business section, specializing in corporate law as well as mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy, and business litigation. Arguably his most memorable case was successfully representing the L&N railroad in its suit against Chattanoogans, including Mayor Ralph Kelley, when they attempted a second hijacking of the historic General locomotive on its way back to Kennesaw, Georgia after refurbishment in Kentucky. Tom was the consummate professional and maintained close personal relationships with many of his clients.


Although he retired from active practice in 2017, he maintained an office at Spears Moore and served as an inspiration and mentor to many of the lawyers who came along after him. He also became the firm’s historian. He continued to come to the office daily and typically worked until time to go to lunch with either Fred Moore or Joe Wilson, his friends and former partners. 


Professionally, Tom was a member of the American, Tennessee, and Chattanooga Bar Associations and a fellow in the latter two. He also was a member of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association and the Estate Planning Council of Chattanooga. 


Tom was a longtime member of both the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club and the Mountain City Club. He was a member of the Rotary Club for 39 years and a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. He served on or represented many boards, including the Carter Street Corporation, Siskin Foundation, READ of Chattanooga, Family and Children's Services, St. Barnabas Nursing Home, and Metropolitan Ministries. 


Tom was a man of deep faith. Raised in the Methodist Church, he joined the Episcopal Church following the move to Chattanooga, and he and Cotty were active members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church throughout their lives. He served on the Vestry, played on the church softball team, was a lay reader and a chalice bearer, and occasionally helped prepare Sunday breakfast for the congregation. 



Tom was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Cotty, by his parents and brother, William Arthur Kale. He is survived by his sons: Thomas Swain Kale, Jr. and his wife, Jane; William Arthur Kale and his wife, Win, and his grand-children, Athena and Hans. 


Tom defeated three bouts of cancer before eventually succumbing to the recurrence of one of them. He was 83 at the time of his passing. 


Tom was a kind and gentle soul and always a gentleman.


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that Thomas Swain Kale’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. 


MEMORIAL TO
HOWARD I. LEVINE
AS PREPARED BY JIM LEVINE AND PRESENTED BY JOEL W. RICHARDSON, JR., ESQ.

Howard Ivan Levine, 84, who spent his entire 59 career practicing law in Chattanooga at Miller & Martin, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Wednesday, June 29, 2022.


Howard was born in Chattanooga on March 27, 1938 and lived in Chattanooga his entire life. He grew up on Missionary Ridge and graduated from The Bright School in 1950 and The McCallie School in 1956. He went on to graduate in 1960 from Yale University, where he received a B.S. in Industrial Administration and was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Yale Lightweight Crew. He graduated from the University of Virginia Law School in 1963 and served in the U.S. Army as an enlisted officer and for several years in the Army Reserves as a 1stLieutenant in the Judge Advocate General Corp.


Howard was a 2nd generation Chattanooga attorney. His father, Jake, emigrated to the United States in the early 20th century and was an esteemed lawyer in Chattanooga until the mid-1960s.  Howard was a summer law clerk in 1962 with the law firm of Miller, Martin, Hitching, Tipton & Lenihan and joined the firm as a full time attorney in 1963. Howard continued to practice law his entire his life at Miller & Martin, which he loved and where he served for several years as Chairman/Managing Partner. The firm meant the world to him, and for his entire career he kept in his bottom desk drawer his 1962 letter from the firm offering him a position as associate.


Professionally, Howard’s legal practice covered corporate, healthcare and trusts and estates law. He served as Chairman of the Health Law Section of the Tennessee Bar Association. He served hundreds of clients during his 59 year career, including service as general counsel to Memorial Hospital for many years. Howard was particularly proud of his service to the hospital, which is where he spent the last few days of his life. 


Howard was a beacon of service to the Chattanooga community for decades, and the following are a few of the several organizations he served over the years: McCallie School (Trustee); Bright School (Trustee); Children’s Home/Chambliss Shelter (Board Member); Greater Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce (Board Member/Chairman); Mizpah Congregation (Board Member/President); Rotary Club of Chattanooga (President); Team Evaluation Center (President); Association of Yale Alumni (Board Member); and The Salvation Army Advisory Board (Chairman). He was especially proud of The McCallie School, where he was named one of its Distinguished Alumni, and was delighted that both of his sons and two of his grandsons graduated from McCallie.


Howard was also proud of his son Jim, who followed his footsteps in the practice of law and just celebrated his 25th anniversary at Baker Donelson, and his son Matthew, who is an orthopedic surgeon in the Washington, D.C. area. He cherished the hours he spent on the golf course with his two oldest grandsons, Jake and Sam, who played with skill that Howard always aspired to achieve.  He loved time in Hilton Head with his younger grandchildren, Eli and Sydney, and looked forward to hearing about their baseball games and swim meets. A diehard Atlanta Braves fan, he loved watching every game, especially the World Series wins in 1995 and 2021.


Howard was preceded in death by his father and mother, Jake and Mary, his brother Jay, and his beloved daughter, Margaret L. Levine, who tragically died at age 26 in 1999 from complications due to a brain tumor. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, M.J. Levine, his 2 sons, Jim Levine of Chattanooga (Jill) and Matthew Levine of McLean, Virginia (Heather Gazan), and by his 4 grandchildren, Jake Levine, Sam Levine, Eli Levine and Sydney Levine. 


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED in a special Memorial Session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that the superb professional life of Howard I. Levine 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.




MEMORIAL TO

WILLIAM DEADERICK MOON, JR.

AS PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY ALVIN BELL, ESQ. 

William Deaderick “Doc” Moon Jr. was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on March 26, 1925 at West Ellis Hospital on 9th Street and grew up on Signal Mountain where he was known as “Buddy”. He later earned the nickname "Doc" from his active plans to become a doctor, but those plans were ultimately put to an end by his combat wounds that caused partial loss of use of his left arm - a condition that persisted the rest of his life. He was a graduate of the Bright School, Baylor School, and Vanderbilt Law School. He lived and worked his entire life in Chattanooga and passed away on August 27, 2022 at the age of 97, peacefully, at home with his family by his bedside.


He is survived by his wife and childhood sweetheart, Janet Patten Moon and three sons: John Deaderick Moon (Clare), Shannon Gamble Moon (Sky) and Shelby Zahnd Moon (Colleen). He has 11 grandchildren: John Austin Moon, Isaac Moon, Julia Moon, Anderson Moon, Elias Moon, Silas Moon, Charlotte Moon, Joseph Moon, Orianna Moon, Penelope Moon and Oakley Moon. He has 1 great grandchild, Adrian Moon.


Doc was a Christian and a member of 1st Presbyterian Church where he was “driven by his mother every Sunday along with his two older sisters” and later served as deacon.


Doc was a patriot. He joined the Army in 1943 and was assigned to A company, 397th Infantry, 100th Infantry Division and was one of the first soldiers to receive the expert infantry badge. He was wounded in the Voges Mountains near Baccarat, France and received two Bronze Stars, The French Legion of Honor (he was kissed on both cheeks by the French Ambassador), and the Purple Heart. 


Doc was a good father. He loved spending time with his children and delighted in their diversity. He attended their ball games (acted as coach for Shelby’s team) and took them camping, taught them to hunt and fish, and provided them with the tools for success and happiness.


Doc was a good lawyer and citizen, and was descended from a long line of lawyers. His great grandfather was Judge James William Deaderick, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Tennessee from 1876 to 1886. His Grandfathers were County Judge and U. S. Congressman John A. Moon and Attorney Edward Young Chapin co- founder of The American Bank and Trust Company. His father was attorney W. D. Moon, Sr. a director of The Hamilton National Bank.


Doc passed his Tennessee Bar Exam and was admitted to the bar in 1949 before graduation from Vanderbilt law school and began his practice in 1950 at the firm of Moon, Harris and Dineen. His law partners over the years included Alvin Bell, Judge Herschel Franks, Judge Ellis Meachum, Tom McCallie, and Dee Hobbs. He worked for the Kennedy and Johnson campaign in 1960 and voted in every eligible election.


He won several cases before the Supreme Court of Tennessee during a distinguished career that lasted 58 years. Doc's law career spanned an era of many years before specific rules of civil procedure were adopted. His trial practice included a heavy emphasis on Chancery Court cases, where the principal guide to procedure was, of course, the highly regarded publication titled "Gibson's Suits in Chancery." Among the many dilatory pleadings one might advance, or defend against under this system were "general demurrers, special demurrers, special demurrers coupled with an answer," etc. A demurrer, of course, was a legal way of saying to an opponent "even if everything you say is true, you still don't have a case." Having dealt with many of these over his Chancery Court experience, Doc once jokingly remarked to a law partner that upon his death "he wanted his headstone to read 'never reached by general demurrer'", which was a gentle boast that he had never lost a case to one of these dilatory pleadings.


Doc had an uncanny ability to recall Civil War history, including specific details of accounts of strategic decisions in important battles. He loved dogs, limericks, and old tunes to whistle; he had an unusually well-developed sense of humor. He believed in courage and truth and admired those qualities in others. His favorite poem was “Horatius at the Bridge”, about a lone soldier who defended Rome in the 6th century BC from the Etruscans. He enjoyed a good fire and spent many happy times at “the cabin” where he cooked hot dogs and entertained friends and family with wonderful stories about the history of Chattanooga, the Civil War, and the law.


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that William Deaderick Moon’s membership with the Chattanooga Bar Association 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.



MEMORIAL TO
JOHN CHARLES MOONEY
PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY CARL E. HARTLEY, ESQ. 

John (Johnny) Charles Mooney passed away on July 16, 2022 at the age of 87. John was an exceptional and accomplished tax attorney, licensed both in Tennessee and Georgia. 


He was born in 1934 in Griffin, Georgia to the late Ruth and Charlie Mooney. John was a bright student in high school and excelled in academics. After graduation from high school, John heard the calling of his Country so at the age of 17 he joined the Marines in 1951 and served during the Korean War.


Following his honorable discharge from the Marines, John attended Georgia State College where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1958. John was gifted with understanding complex fact situations involving numbers, so he decided to undertake a career in the field of tax. 


To that end, and while working for the Internal Revenue Service, John studied for and in 1962 passed the CPA exam in Georgia on his first attempt to become a Certified Public Accountant.


Knowing that the tax field would require not only an understanding of accounting complexities but also a knowledge of tax law, John entered Emory University School of Law. He graduated Salutatorian, second in his graduating class, in 1965.


John then joined the Chattanooga law firm of Stophel, Caldwell & Heggie in Chattanooga, and quickly became one of the go-to partners in that firm for complex tax and corporate matters, both in Tennessee and Georgia. Over his many years of tax practice, John represented some of the largest businesses and prominent families in this area with respect to their tax and business planning needs and, where required, defending them in audits by the IRS.


John was extraordinarily dedicated to his clients, and they were dedicated to him. In fact, many of John’s clients would never undertake a major personal or business investment or obligation without first consulting with him.


John was a tireless worker, arriving most days before 7:00am and leaving after 6:00pm with a briefcase full of client matters to be addressed and solved in the coming days.


Despite his rigorous schedule, John valued highly the need to mentor young associates working with him. I was lucky enough to be assigned to John just out of law school in 1973, and for the four years thereafter I studied and learned much under his mentorship regarding the practice of tax law. 


John was very much interested in not only constructively critiquing the work product prepared by a young associate, but also assisting that young attorney in understanding the role of lawyers in society. Just for example, meetings were periodically scheduled with the associate assigned to John so that he could discuss his general experience in the practice of law, his experience in dealing with a wide variety of clients, and his expectations for himself and others working with him in the practice of law. All of those discussions provided an invaluable foundation to any associate working with John.

John continued to practice tax law until the age of 80, when he retired as of-counsel from the Baker Donelson law firm. 


John was married in 1955 to Charlotte Hinton for 19 years. They had four children and attended The First Assembly of God Church in Chattanooga, where he was a Sunday School Teacher and served as Deacon.


As with his tax practice, John was a very competitive person. He enjoyed tournament tennis and racquet ball, as well as relaxing while playing bridge, cards and checkers with friends. In addition to following Braves Baseball and Georgia Tech football, John traveled internationally (in particular to Aruba for fishing) as well as domestically (especially to the Bluegrass State for the Kentucky Derby where he was certified as a Kentucky Colonel).


John was preceded in death by two sisters. He is survived by his four children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.


John was a force to be reckoned with as a counselor in the area of tax law, but at the same time was a very kind individual who gladly shared his professional experience and knowledge of the law with young attorneys.


May he rest in peace.


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that John C. Mooney’s membership with the Chattanooga Bar Association 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 high honor in which he has been held, as an expression of our very deep sympathy and our mutual loss.



MEMORIAL TO
EDWARD BLAKE MOORE, SR.
AS PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY HONORABLE J. B. BENNETT

As Edward Blake Moore, Sr., said when memorializing a member of this bar in the past, “We gather once again for this annual ritual – not just to bury our dead, but to honor the part each contributed to the sum – the whole of what we are.”


Blake was born on March 31, 1933, in Trenton, NJ., the son of Robert Porter Moore and Anna Katryne (Blake) Moore. They moved to Norris, TN, when Blake was 10 years old. 


In 1955, Blake graduated with honors from the College of Wooster (OH), and he graduated from Duke Law School in July 1958. Blake began his law practice in Chattanooga with Spears, Moore, Rebman, & Williams, until he retired in 1998. As Blake once said about another, “his interest and specialty came to be what we, somewhat strangely, call ‘medical malpractice’,” throughout his decades of defending health care providers in Hamilton County and four surrounding counties. Blake reveled in and bedeviled many as a master of the art of advocacy. 


Blake was a lifelong student and proponent of grammar, politics, law and humanity. He sprang from the legal traditions and customs that embraced zealous, boisterous advocacy for his clients and his causes, and he was loyal to those values throughout his career, whether the venue was the courtroom, the board room or the mentor’s woodshed. Blake was a mentor to many lawyers, too many to name comprehensively, but some are: Tom Kale, Joe Wilson, Ferber Tracy, Fred Moore, Francis Breazeale, Hale Hamilton, Bob Boehm, Judge Marie Williams, Randy Wilson, Bob Rayburn, Joe White, Judge Gary Starnes, Judge Barry Steelman, Howell Dean Clements, Bill Davis, Leo Beale, Sue Ellen Scruggs, Angela Ripper, Dan Stefaniuk, and me.


Blake was active in the local, state, and federal bar associations throughout his four decades as an attorney. In 1979, he was the President of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association. As a 6th Circuit Federal Bar Association member, Blake practiced in the trial courts and appeared multiple times before the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. Among his most satisfying cases were three child custody cases in which he and his colleagues successfully obtained custody that they felt would be in the child’s best interest. Blake stayed in touch as each prospered into adulthood, enjoying the love and support of their families.


Blake gave back to the community in a variety of ways through active and committed participation in many organizations in Chattanooga for many years, such as Westside Development Corporation (Board member), Chattanooga Cares (Board member), Bachman Home (Trustee), National Council of Christians and Jews, PFLAG (honoring his brother, Robert, who died of AIDS), Peace Center, and Clergy and Laity Concerned. Blake was proud to be a life-long Democrat and he enjoyed expressing some of his more liberal views with frequent letters to the Editor of the Chattanooga newspaper. Blake was a deacon, elder and teacher at various times at Rivermont Presbyterian and Second Presbyterian. In these churches, as well as Pilgrim Congregational Church (non-member) and Unitarian Universal Church (non-member), Blake discussed and followed various avenues related to peace and poverty, especially involving children’s causes. 


After retirement, Blake took up chainsaw carving as a hobby. He became quite adept, producing a wide variety of pieces with some finding homes in the area, such as an eight-foot chimp and “the thinker” at the Zoo; Looie, the Lookouts mascot at the stadium; two seven-foot bears at Signal Mountain playground; the “Mountaineer” at the 10th tee of the Signal Mountain Golf Course; “The Warrior” (American Indian) at Jasper High School; “The Three Bears” at a Drive-in movie theater, and an eagle in the entrance of Signal Mountain High School. There are numerous other carvings spread throughout the homes and businesses of family and friends. Blake also enjoyed playing golf and was a long-time member of the Signal Mountain Golf Club. Blake had a passion for the beach, especially when his kids and grandkids were with him to help create and form dribble castles and sand sculptures. He cherished relaxed reflections and conversations with family and friends as the waves met the beach and as the tides changed.


He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Helen Gail (Gooden) Moore, and her son Joseph “Jody” Lewis Clift, his wife Dana, and their daughter McKenzie; his three sons (Edward Blake Moore, Jr. and his wife Cynthia Weiler, Robert Franklin Moore and his wife Diane Cullen Moore, and George Porter Moore) from his former and late wife Joan (Grant)Moore; seven grandchildren (Lauren, Hudson, Karly, Melissa, Brandon, Reiley, Lindsay); and four great-grandchildren (Mary, Vera, Blake, Genevieve). He is also survived by his younger brother Thomas Fulton Moore of Suwanee. I hasten to add I was greatly assisted in preparing this memorial, and attribute much of it to, the author of Blake’s obituary. I am also grateful for the assistance of Art Brock for his contribution to this memorial.


Edward Blake Moore, Sr., passed away peacefully at his home on July 24, 2022 at 89 years old. He has been and shall forever be greatly missed.


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED in a special Memorial Session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that the superb professional life of Edward Blake Moore, Sr., 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.




MEMORIAL TO

RANDALL L. “RANDY” NELSON

AS PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY MICHAEL A. MCMAHAN, ESQ.

Randall L. “Randy” Nelson was born on January 10, 1941, in Omaha, Nebraska. He graduated from high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. 


Deciding he wanted to make a difference in the world he entered medical school at the University of Pittsburgh, but after one year decided that it was not for him.  He joined the Army Reserves as an enlisted soldier and was assigned to the Judge Advocate General Corp.  Upon completion of his active duty, he decided to try law as a career. U.T. was the school with the latest date for application and that is how he fortuitously made his way to Knoxville. 


At U.T. Randy met his lovely wife Carolyn, who was employed at the law school. They had two sons Ken and Keith. Randy was a devoted husband and father. He coached his sons in the Little League in Middle Valley and basketball at the YMCA. He never missed a play or a musical performance and was always there to encourage and support the entire family. 


His first legal employment in 1968 was with Eugene N. Collins and Associates located in the Pioneer Building.  Collins was the Chattanooga City Attorney, and all members of the firm represented the city in addition to representing private clients. Randy spent his whole career at 400 Pioneer Building.


Randy really enjoyed appellate work.  His first court assignment was an appellate argument in the Court of Appeals.  Randy said they sent him because the case was thought to be a loser.  Also, Collins thought the best way to learn was to be thrown into the fire. He reported that the Judges were very kind to this neophyte, and to everyone’s amazement, he won the case. Although he lost to Jerry Summers, he was proud of his U.S. Supreme Court case of Southeastern Promotions v. Conrad, 420 U.S. 546 (1975). The Memorial Auditorium Board had denied Southeastern Promotions the use of the facility for the theatrical performance of Hair because it included nudity. This case established the First Amendment doctrine of “prior restraint.”


Randy participated in many ways in the growth and development of Chattanooga. In the mid-1970s, the city grew through annexation and Randy was the City’s lead counsel. In 1987 the Commission form of government was challenged in a voting rights lawsuit and after an adverse decision negotiations resulting in a change to the current Mayor Council form of government with Randy representing the City. He was later selected as City Attorney in 1990 to lead the transition.  Randy helped facilitate the city’s industrial development as counsel for the Industrial Development Board and was in the forefront of Volkswagen’s selection of Chattanooga. 


Randy was a long-time ticket holder of UT Football and would keep up with recruiting and all things UT, listening to the radio talk shows and engaging in spirited discussions with Russell King and others. He was also a long suffering fan of the Chicago Cubs, listening on the radio and watching their games on TV, whenever possible, and delirious when they finally won a world series in 2016. 


Randy suffered from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease after retirement, but never lost his sense of good humor, teasing and being teased by the staff in health care facilities. He enjoyed life to its fullest and will be truly missed. 


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that Randall L. Nelson’s membership with the Chattanooga Bar Association 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.




MEMORIAL TO
KENNETH ORRIN PURDIE
AS PREPARED BY JOSHUA L. BAKER, ESQ. AND PRESENTED BY J. MICHAEL HOLLOWAY, ESQ. 

Kenneth Orrin Purdie, 36, a proud resident of the Lamontville Community in Bradley County went to be with the Lord on October 12, 2022. Orrin was born on February 18, 1986, to Kenneth and Loretta Purdie. A graduate of Walker Valley High School in 2004, Orrin graduated from ETSU in 2008 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Communications and a Minor in Business Management. Orrin went on to Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law at the University of Memphis where he earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.). 


He loved life and lived to the fullest. He was happiest on the farm and spending time with family, friends, and his beloved dog Rousseau. 


Orrin left behind his parents, Kenneth and Loretta Purdie, sister Lauren (Matthew) Walker of Kingston, Tennessee, his loving girlfriend Jessica Baxter, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and colleagues who will cherish his memory.


To know anything about Orrin – who was known to his friends as “Purdie” – you have to know about his love of the Lord. Orrin grew up the son of a Southern Baptist preacher. To the uninitiated, that means he loved the Scriptures – but only the old King James – and took them seriously. No doubt many share a love for God’s Word – but to this day, Orrin is the only person I know to cite Leviticus 25 and the Year of the Jubilee on a Property I Exam when questioned about the Rule Against Perpetuities. Only Purdie knows whether the old property professor – an Episcopalian from the delta -- appreciated his tethering of the divine and positive laws. But from that day on, Orrin 


earned a measure of fame among his law school cohorts. 


As with law school, Orrin quickly earned fame as an attorney among the local bar. Indeed, at his first appearance in criminal court, Orrin was asked by his Honor whether he had signed into the clerk’s registry of attorneys (a custom still observed in the old courts of West Tennessee). Purdie – having not signed into the Clerk’s registry or given it a second thought – leaned back, stuck his hands in his pocket, and paused for a moment. He then looked up at the old Judge and replied in a soft drawl – “All due respect your Honor, but the only book I care that my name is in is the Book of Life.” The Judge, seemingly stunned by the words of the green horn barrister, sat back in his chair and thought for a moment. After an endless silence, his Honor leaned down from the bench and proclaimed exuberantly: “Hallelujah Mr. Purdie, you may proceed.” 


And so, his law career was off and running. As an attorney, Purdie practiced in the forgotten style of the old generalist -- whether a criminal matter, probate and estate planning, civil litigation, or domestic dispute -- Orrin accepted the work that came in the office. To be clear, that was when he was actually in the office. Although Orrin loved the law and the demands of its practice, his heart was always on the family farm. For many years, Orrin traveled across the state, tending to legal matters in the West and cattle in the East. But ultimately, it was his love of his father, Ken, and of the land, that brought him back to East Tennessee. He was immensely proud of his parents and loved them unconditionally.   


Easy going and polite to a fault, Orrin had the demeanor of someone who possessed an infinite amount of time – one of those rare souls who walks lightly in this world, unwilling to be burdened by its often heavy yoke. There is an inscription on the mantle of a famous hunting club in Arkansas: “Here, time is gracious and kind – a companion, not a master.” For those of us who knew Orrin, we understand exactly what the inscription means. 


I will miss my friend greatly and I grieve that my children will not know his counsel as they age. But as Purdie would no doubt remind us: Forever O Lord – your Word is settled in Heaven (Ps. 119:89).


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that Kenneth Orrin Purdie’s membership with the Chattanooga Bar Association 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.




MEMORIAL TO
EDWARD JOSEPH “JOEY” WARWICK, SR.
AS PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY MARY SULLIVAN MOORE, ESQ.

Joey Warwick, former resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, died unexpectedly December 15, 2022, in Vicksburg, Mississippi at the age of 55 years old. Born in Lexington, Kentucky on May 13, 1967, Joey was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 


Joey graduated from The Baylor School in Chattanooga, in 1985. An exceptional athlete, he played football, baseball, and ran track for the Red Raiders. After graduating from Millsaps College where he was captain of the golf team, he received his Juris Doctor from Ole Miss Law School in 1993. 


In each of these schools, he made lifelong friends who appreciated his wit, his debate prowess, and his keen card-playing ability. As his friends said, Joey was the first person you learned not to play cards with.


After graduation from law school, Joey practiced law in Hattiesburg and Vicksburg, Mississippi, as well as Chattanooga for many years. 


Joey was preceded in death by his grandparents, Pap and Dr. Joe Vincent Lavecchia and Agnes “Nana” and Edward J. Warwick and his parents Ed Warwick and Mary Jo Lavecchia, as well as his sister Amee Warwick Spurlock. He is survived by his beloved children, Ned and Elizabeth Warwick and his stepson Drew Hulse, his sister Mary Sullivan Moore Dodd, nieces Joelie Moore, Sarah Moore and Cede Warwick.


Joey loved most of all watching his children play their sports. He was their ever-present fan, coaching them first, then supporting them from the stands. While he himself was an extraordinary golfer throughout much of his adult life, he put his clubs aside as his children grew older to fully support their athletics.


The family received friends on January 7, 2023, with a celebration of life gathering.


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that Edward Joseph “Joey” Warwick, Sr.’s membership with the Chattanooga Bar Association 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.




MEMORIAL TO
NORMAN EUGENE SABIN
AS PREPARED BY WILSON C. VON KESSLER AND PRESENTED BY CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION

Norman “Norm” Eugene Sabin had four abiding passions: flight, the law, the Lord, and his family. While many children dream of growing up to be a pilot or a lawyer, Norm had the incredible opportunity to realize both of these childhood dreams.

     Norm was born in 1950 to Howard and Helen Sabin. He grew up in Burbank, California, and graduated from Burbank High School. He was an Air Force veteran who served in the Vietnam War and Desert Storm. He had many talents including playing minor league baseball for the Dodgers, being a software engineer in the early days of computer programming, raising quarter horses, and being a military and commercial flight engineer. 

     Norm attended and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He worked as a commercial pilot, as well as a C-141 pilot in the Air Force Reserves. In 1991 he made the decision to pursue his interest the law, and three years later he earned his J.D. from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Like many of his other pursuits, Norm approached his studies with a focus on excellence and achievement, graduating in the top 10% of his class, serving as Editor-in-Chief of the Regent Law Review and as a member of the Regent University National Moot Court Team.


As a military veteran, Norm initially joined the civil litigation practice of another veteran, Morgan Adams. In 2008, he took his passion for advocating in the best interests of his clients in another direction and formed his own firm, Norm Sabin and Associates, specializing in the practice of estate planning and elder law as well as veterans’ affairs. He was active in this practice until his passing on the morning of January 16, 2022 as a result of COVID-related complications.


Norm was guided by his Christian values in all aspects of his life. He began every day in prayer and reading his Bible. He loved the Lord, his family, golf, and sitting on the front porch after work with a cigar and a good book. He lived a life of integrity with unshakeable conviction, rooted in justice and the truth of God’s word.


Norm is survived by his wife Pat, as well as children Zak (DeAyn) Sabin, Kelsey Sabin, and Daris (Kent) Freeman; grandchildren, Joshua (Emily) Longbrook, Madyson, Elleanor, and Olivia Sabin; and great-grandchildren, Judah, Luke, Josiah, and Noble Longbrook. 


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that Norman Eugene Sabin’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.




MEMORIAL TO
JOHN CLARK WEST
PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY THE CHATTANOOGA BAR ASSOCIATION

John Clark West, 72, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away on March 28, 2022. 


He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to the late Clark West, MD., and the late Ruthann West. John was an attorney and author of children’s books, Harriet and Daphne, as well as other novels.


He was preceded in death by a daughter, Molly West, and a sister, Lucy Francis.


Survivors include his loving wife, Beverly West, his children, Amanda West, JD, and Emily West, PhD, his stepchildren Benjamin Gordon and Jennifer Gordon, MD, his brother Michael West, MD, and his four grandchildren, Clara Casper, Campbell Casper, Harriet Casper, and William Minor.


John was a true renaissance man with many passions and hobbies. He was an avid traveler who visited six out of the seven continents. He collected late 19th century artwork and he was always looking for an empty piece of wall space to hang his latest find. His love for books was contagious and that which he shared with his wife and stepdaughter. When not reading his newest book find, John was writing children’s books and fiction. His office was adorned with gargoyles peeking out around books and shelves. He loved succulent plants and other unusual types of plants. The house that he shared with Beverly was known for its gardens, inside and out. 


He had a great sense of humor and always had a joke to tell. Dinner was not complete until he and his stepson had a chance to share their newest jokes with one another. But above humor, John was the epitome of love and encouragement. To friends and family, he was the consistent voice of reason and the moral compass. He loved well and true, and in return earned the love and appreciation of all who knew him. 


Professionally, John lectured extensively, taught, and wrote over 106 Case Law Updates for the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (ASHRM) Journal of Health Care Risk Management and won 2014 and 2021 Apex Awards in the category of regular department and columns. He edited and wrote many professional books and articles. His most recent books are ASHRM’s Legal and Regulatory Playbook, ASHRM’s Human Capital Playbook, ASHRM Risk Management Fundamentals, among others. 


The ASHRM Advisory Board recognized his lifetime of contributions to the field of health care risk management with the ASHRM Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement in Health Care Risk Management, the Presidential Citation and Journal Award for Writing Excellence. He also held the designation of Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management.   



John has dedicated his time and talent to ASHRM as a member, teacher and keynote presenter. These contributions pale in comparison to the time he has spent mentoring members of the risk management profession. 


Regarded as a mentor and a friend to many, he was known for a legendary knowledge, dry humor, quick wit, storytelling and advancing the health care risk management profession. Many of his mentees would go on to become leaders for ASHRM and the profession.


ASHRM’s current Advisory Board Member, Chris Allman, who worked closely with John on the Case Law Update, and looked to John as a mentor stated “John was one of the first people to show me that there is a place in health care risk management for everyone, even an attorney like me who does not necessarily have a clinical background. John showed me, and all risk professionals, really, that knowing the law and how it applies to health care risk management is a big part of keeping our patients and organizations free from harm.”


On a nonprofessional note, John once shared when asked about his proudest achievement, “I am really proudest of my three daughters and two stepchildren. I have a professor, and attorney who is a health care ethicist, a mechanical engineer, and a Navy surgeon. One of my daughters died of cancer at the age of three, which left a hole in my soul from which I may never recover. Or at least I hope I don’t.” 


When John was asked how he wanted to be remembered in a 2020 interview, he stated, “In addition to my ASHRM work, I have published works of fiction and most recently children’s books. I would like to be remembered as a writer. That is why I am self-publishing. I consider myself a writer and an educator, and I want to contribute to the literature. I am a relatively ordinary guy who has been given an extraordinary opportunity and I am just happy to do it.”


John West, a writer and educator, but above all, the love of our lives. 


THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, in a special memorial session on this 3rd day of March, 2023, that John C. West’s membership with the Chattanooga Bar Association 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.

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