TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jan 31, 2022

Former state senator Morgan “Brown” Ayres Jr. died Jan. 21 after a fall. He was 90 years old. Growing up in Knoxville, Ayres attended Knoxville public schools, the Kentucky Military Institute and the University of Tennessee. After serving in the Air Force as a staff sergeant during the Korean War, Ayres returned to Knoxville and joined his father as an investment banker with Cumberland Securities. In 1968, he was elected state senator, representing Knox County for eight years. Last March, Ayres received the University of Tennessee’s Accomplished Alumni Award. His grandfather, also named Brown Ayres, was the 12th president of the university. A memorial and celebration of life service will be held at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church at 4 p.m. EST on March 25. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the church, the University of Tennessee or a charity of the donor’s choice.