Memphis lawyer William Clary Lunsford died Sunday (June 8). Born in 1939, Lunsford received his law degree from Vanderbilt University and worked at Pete Marrick in Little Rock, Arkansas, before practicing Tax and Estate Law in Memphis at the old Montidonico Firm. Later he was a partner at Laughlin Halle Law Firm. Funeral services were held Monday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Grace-St. Luke's Church in Memphis, Grace Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1791 in Anniston, Alabama, or to the charity of one's choice.

John Merriman Miller, 76, of Knoxville died June 12 after a brief illness. Miller graduated from Wake Forest University Law School in 1962 and spent most of his career in government service, working for the U.S. Comptroller of the Currency as a national bank examiner, deputy chief counsel and acting chief counsel, and later as deputy to the first Special Trustee for American Indians at the U.S. Department of the Interior. In 1982, he joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in the Denver office. After retiring, Miller returned to his childhood home of Knoxville. Visitation will be June 28 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel in Knoxville. A memorial service will follow at 5 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials be made to the University of Tennessee Legal Clinic, 1505 West Cumberland Ave., Knoxville, TN 37996 or Miller's Chapel Baptist Church, Turkey Creek Rd., Tellico Plains, TN 37385. Knoxnews has more on his life.

J. William "Bill" Pope Jr. of Dayton died June 8 from cancer. He was 76. A native of Nashville, Pope attended the University of Tennessee and the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham. He worked as an attorney with the Tennessee Valley Authority and later in private practice before being elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives. After an unsuccessful Congressional race, he was appointed district attorney general of the 18th Judicial District (now the 12th), where he served until retiring in 1992. Services will be Thursday at 1 p.m. CDT. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Vanderbilt Gift Processing Office, Attn: Thorasic Cancer Research, Vanderbilt University, PMB 407727, 2301 Vanderbilt University Place, Nashville, TN 37240-7727. The Chattanoogan.com has more on this life.

Nashville native Anthony "Tony" Papuchis died June 8. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and the Nashville School of Law, Papuchis opted for a career in structural engineering. His family reports that he was involved in multiple mid-Tennessee buildings, including the Pennington Bend Elementary School and LP Field. Visitation is today and tomorrow at the Hamilton United Methodist Church, 3105 Hamilton Church Rd., Antioch 37013. A memorial service will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the church.

Byron Percy Magness, 74, died of cancer at his home this past Friday (June 6). Originally from Arkansas, Magness moved to Memphis as a high school student. He later attended Dartmouth College and Vanderbilt University Law School. In 1965, he returned to Memphis to serve as law clerk for Judge Marion Boyd. Magness practiced law in Memphis for 40 years. He was part of a group of young lawyers who offered free legal services to the poor before legal aid was formed. He also received the Sam A. Myer Award in 1980 from the Memphis Bar Association. The family requests that any memorials be sent to Concerts International, P.O. Box 77052, Memphis, TN 38177; or Idlewild Presbyterian Church, 1760 Union, Memphis, TN 38104. The Commercial Appeal has more on his life.

Drue D. Birmingham of Olive Branch, Mississippi died Monday (May 26) at the age of 82. After a tour in Korea with the 1st Marine Division, he attended the University of Memphis School of Law and earned a master of laws from the University of Mississippi. Birmingham practiced in Mississippi, but was a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and a senior counselor. Funeral services were held today at 10 a.m. at Olive Branch First Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to American Center for Law and Justice. Read more about his life in the Commercial Appeal.

Lorraine Helen Raymond died Tuesday (May 27) at her home, surrounded by family. She was 66. Raymond earned her law degree from Southern Illinois University and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court. She practiced law in Chattanooga for over 25 years. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Ascension Church at 720 S. Germantown in East Ridge.

Jackson attorney Kenneth Don Bishop died Saturday (May 24) at the age of 72. He graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law and was licensed in Tennessee in 1968. He later founded the Bishop Law Firm, where he worked until his death. A memorial service will be held at Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Allsboro, Alabama, on June 1 at 2 p.m. Burial will be in two weeks in Fairfield, Illinois. Memorials may be made to the Don Bishop Scholarship Fund at Bethel University, 325 Cherry Ave., McKenzie, TN 38201. Additional information is not yet available.

Memphis lawyer Roger Rutledge died Tuesday at the age of 67. He graduated cum laude from American University Washington College of Law in 1977 and practiced corporate law, litigation, international, family and estate law with his father, J.P. Rutledge, at Rutledge and Rutledge Attorneys. In 2012, he wrote and published, “A Revolution to Win: The Founder’s Solution to the Current Crisis,” a book about democracy in America. Visitation will be held Friday from 5-8 p.m. and services will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Memorials may be sent to the Roger K. Rutledge Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 38344, Germantown, TN.

Henry H. Hancock died May 16. He was 85. He earned a law degree from the University of Michigan in 1957 and joined the law firm of Burch Porter & Johnson. In 1965, he partnered with William Farris to create the Farris Hancock law firm (now Farris Bobango). Hancock also spent 18 years teaching law students the finer points of trial procedure at the then Memphis State Law School. A remembrance and celebration of his life was held Tuesday at the University Club. The family requests that memorials be sent to the Church Health Center or a charity of their choice.