Bowlman “Bo” Tarleton Bowles Jr. died June 9 at age 86. He attended the Virginia Military Institute and accepted a commission in the Army as an infantry officer after graduation. Bowles went on to graduate from Vanderbilt University Law School, joining the law firm of Mays & Valentine where he practiced for 15 years. In 1980, he formed his own practice, which he developed with his son, Churchill, into Bowles Affiliates. Bowles served as chair of the American Bar Association Committee on Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates and was a member of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, as well as the Virginia and Tennessee bar associations. Memorial donations may be made to the VMI Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450.

Cleveland lawyer Charles McCutchen Corn died Feb. 10 at the age of 86. He earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1962. While in law school, Corn served on the Vanderbilt Law Review and as its associate editor. He joined the U.S. Army Reserves in South Carolina and began working at a law firm in Atlanta. In 1964, he returned to Tennessee to practice law in Bradley County. He later served as a prosecutor and as the first public defender for the 10th Judicial District, serving in that role for 15 years before retiring. Corn was active in several community and political organizations, including serving as a delegate to the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Donations may be made to the Sierra Club’s Tennessee Chapter, P.O. Box 113, Powell TN 37849, or the Cleveland Bradley County Library Foundation, 795 Church St. NE, Cleveland, TN 37311.

Dorris Caldwell “Jim” Daniel Jr. died June 30 at age 89. After college Daniel joined the U.S. Army Reserve and served until 1963, when he entered the George Washington University Law School. In 1974, he joined the law firm of Daniel, Burton, Bolin & LaRoche in Murfreesboro. In 1991, he began private practice as a Social Security disability attorney. He retired in 2008. Daniel was a past president of the Nashville chapter of the Federal Bar Association and a member of the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He served as a board member of Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee & the Cumberlands until his retirement. Memorial donations may be made to Murfreesboro First Presbyterian Church’s Music Ministry, 210 N. Spring St., Murfreesboro, TN 37130, or Shriner’s Children Hospital, 2900 N. Rocky Point Dr. Tampa, FL 33607.

Tennessee lawyer Joe V. W. Gaston died Feb. 9 at the age of 84. A graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Gaston served in the U.S. Air Force and the Tennessee Air National Guard and then began his legal career with the Chattanooga law firm of Chambliss, Bahner, Crutchfield, Gaston & Irvine. He also served as attorney for the town of Walden and board chair for the Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute. Gaston retired to Springfield, where he volunteered his legal skills for the Red River Watershed Association, the Robertson County Fair Board, 840 Alternatives, and the Stokes and Sarah Brown Charitable Foundation. Memorial donations may be made to McCoy Farm and Gardens, 1604 Taft Hwy., Signal Mountain, TN 37377, or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Knoxville lawyer Kenneth M. Gresham Jr. died July 18 at the age of 97. Gresham served in the Navy in World War II. After his service, he attended the University of Tennessee College of Law. After graduation, he began practicing law with his father in the firm of Gresham and Gresham Attorneys. In the mid-1950s, he served as part time assistant attorney general. He later joined Howard G. Hogan and then finished his legal career as “of counsel” in firm of Testerman, Warren and Roden. For 50 years, Gresham also was co-owner and president of Warranty Title Insurance Co. He retired in 2007. Memorial donations may be made to Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 4904 Asheville Hwy., Knoxville, TN 37914.

Nashville attorney William Hance “Bill” Lassiter Jr. died June 21 in Franklin after a short illness. He was 85. Originally from Huntingdon, Lassiter graduated from the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Law School. He started his career with the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office in 1963, and most recently was with Belcher, Sykes Harrington, a firm he helped found. Memorial donations may be made to Wayne Reed Christian Childcare Center, 11 Lindsley Ave. B, Nashville, TN 37210.

Retired Sullivan County Chancellor E.G. Moody died June 16 at the age of 79 years. Moody earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1971 and practiced with the Kingsport law firm of Hawkins, Moody, Bingham and Miller for 35 years. He was elected to the 2nd Judicial District Chancery Court in September 2006 and retired in 2022 after 16 years of service. Among his professional accomplishments, Moody presided over the landmark “Baby Doe” case against opioid manufacturers, which yielded a $35 million settlement. Memorial donations may be made to The Crumley House, 300 Urbana Rd., Limestone, TN 37681, or a charity of the donor’s choice.

Memphis lawyer William “Lytle” Nichol IV died June 24 at the age of 87 years. A native of Memphis, Nichol attended the University of Virginia and completed his undergraduate degree in three years. He then completed his first year of law school there before serving three years in the U.S. Navy as a communications officer. After graduating from law school in 1964, Nichol joined the Memphis law firm of Evans, Petree, Cobb and Edwards, now known as Evans Petree. Nichol practiced in the areas of corporate law, estate planning and probate. His nephew Richard E.M. Nichol Jr. and son William L. Nichol V later joined him at the firm. Memorial donations may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Church, 3245 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38111.

Nashville attorney Joe Curry Peel died June 19 at age 81. He received his bachelor of arts and master of theology degrees from Vanderbilt University, and did graduate theological study at St. Michael’s College in Canada. Peel taught at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, as well as Montgomery Bell Academy and Battle Ground Academy. He also worked for IBM before attending the University of Tennessee College of Law. Peel practiced for a few years at King & Ballow in Nashville. He then served for 39 years in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office. He became a recognized expert in the fields of state and local taxation, interstate commerce and constitutional law. Memorial donations may be made to the In Excelsis Concert Series at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 4715 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205, or to the charity of one’s choice.

Oak Ridge lawyer Donald Bryson Roe died Dec. 19, 2023, at the age of 82. Roe earned his law degree in 1966 from the University of Tennessee College of Law. His first job was assistant city attorney in Oak Ridge. He later moved to Washington, D.C., to work for the House of Representatives Select Committee on Small Business from 1971-1973. He then returned to Oak Ridge and opened a law practice. In 1975, Roe earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Tennessee and taught law workshops for graduate students.

Anderson County Law Director Nicholas “Jay” Yeager died July 26 at age 65. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from East Carolina University and then worked in law enforcement for many years as a police officer, sergeant and member of the Gwinnett County Bomb Squad and SWAT teams in Georgia. Later, he attended the University of Georgia School of Law, graduating in 2001. Yeager served as assistant county attorney of Anderson County from 2001-2006 and as law director from 2006 until his death. He was recognized as the Tennessee County Attorney of the Year in 2024. Memorial donations may be made to Anderson County Boys & Girls Club, c/o Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, 967 Irwin St., Knoxville, TN 37917; Anderson County Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 340, Andersonville, TN 37705; or Unicoi Methodist Church, 702 Virginia St., Unicoi, TN 37692. |||