Memphis attorney Terry Thomas Owen Sr. died May 16 at the age of 64. He served in the Marine Corps and Navy from 1967-1972 and earned his law degree from the University of Memphis in 1988. He worked for the Attorney General’s Office until 1996 when he began his private law practice. Services were held today at Bartlett Baptist Church, with interment following in West Tennessee Veterans Cemetary. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Bartlett Baptist Church Mission Program.

James Haggard Kinnard of Lebanon died unexpectedly May 15. He was 80 years old. A native of Sparta, Kinnard served in the U.S. Army after high school. Following discharge, he earned a law degree from the Nashville School of Law and began practicing in 1966. Among his professional achievements, Kinnard was the organizing attorney for Cracker Barrel, where he copyrighted the menu and registered the building design. He also recently was honored by the Wilson County Bar Association with a lifetime achievement award. Funeral services were held yesterday, The Tennessean reports. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the William R. Pease Jr. Memorial Scholarship at Tennessee Technological University, School of Agriculture, 1 William L. Jones Dr., Cookeville 38505; or the Castle Heights National Alumni Association, c/o Rob Hoosier, 1045 Woodmont Dr., Gallatin 37066.

Funeral services were held for former U.S. Sen. Harlan Mathews who died Friday at the age of 87. Visitation and service were held at Harpeth Hills Funeral Home. The Nashville Ledger has more on Harlan’s life and legacy.

The family of Cecil D. Branstetter, who died Wednesday, have announced that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tennessee Environmental Council, 1 Vantage Way E250, Nashville 37228, or the Morgan Scott Project, 1022 Old Deer Lodge Pike, Deer Lodge 37726. A memorial service was held today, followed by a reception with the family. A private interment will take place at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery at a later date, the family said. The Tennessean reported the updated information.

Joseph C. Loser Jr., the dean of the Nashville School of Law (NSL) for more than two decades, died Sunday (May 11) of congestive heart failure. He was 81. Loser graduated from NSL when it was known as the Nashville YMCA Night Law School. After a lengthy career in the legal profession, in which he served as a Davidson County Circuit Court judge and a special judge on the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals and Supreme Court, Loser was named dean of the school in 1986. He then led an initiative to change the name of the 113-year-old school. Loser was set to retire in July. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home & Memorial Park. Funeral services will be Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.

Former U.S. Sen. and Deputy Gov. Harlan Mathews died this morning from brain cancer. He was 87. A graduate of the Nashville School of Law, Mathews was a fixture at the Capitol for all but a couple of years from 1950 into the 1990s, serving under four Democratic governors and holding the constitutional office of state treasurer — a position elected by the General Assembly — from 1974 to 1987. He also served in the U.S. Senate for two years after being appointed to fill the remainder of Vice President Al Gore’s term. “Harlan Mathews was my friend, an extraordinary public servant, and a true gentleman respected by Democrats and Republicans alike for his masterful knowledge of policy and his principled, honest dealing," former President Bill Clinton said in a statement. "In addition to his nearly half-century of service in Tennessee, I will always be grateful for the years he spent in the Senate, during which he cast important votes for the 1993 economic plan and the 1994 crime bill, votes which made our nation more prosperous and safer." The Tennessean reports funeral arrangements are pending. 

Nashville lawyer Cecil Branstetter died yesterday at the age of 93. A World War II veteran and graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Branstetter was a member of the commission that wrote Metro’s charter in 1961 and 1962, the year Nashville and Davidson County voters agreed to consolidate the sometimes overlapping city and county governments into one entity, a groundbreaking move. Mayor Karl Dean called Branstetter "an outstanding attorney and civic leader who dedicated his life to making Nashville a better city and the world a more just place." His daughter, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch, said "He thought the way to improve the lives of the people was through government. And he thought this government would provide fair treatment to all people in a broader way."

Visitation is scheduled for 4 - 7 p.m. Sunday at Immanuel Baptist Church, 222 Belle Meade Blvd. A public memorial service will be held at the church at 11 a.m. Monday followed by a reception with the family in the church's fellowship hall. A private Interment will take place at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Tennessee Environmental Council, 1 Vantage Way E250, Nashville 37228, or the Morgan Scott Project, 1022 Old Deer Lodge Pike, Deer Lodge 37726.

Chattanooga lawyer Stephen Goldstein died Tuesday. The funeral service will held Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Mizpah Congregation Sanctuary, located at 923 McCallie Ave. A graveside service will follow immediately at the Mizpah Congregation Cemetery.

Federal courts librarian Joe Daugherty McClure died Friday (May 2) at the age of 64. A Clarksville native, McClure earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law and was employed by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals as the federal courts’ librarian in Middle Tennessee for 28 years. He also was a member of the Tennessee and Montgomery County bar associations and the Tennessee Library Association. Services were held today with internment at the Smith Cemetery in Big Rock. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Smith Cemetery Maintenance Fund, 270 Big Rock Rd., Big Rock, TN 37023. The Tennessean has more on McClure's life.

Former Maury County Circuit Court Clerk Kathy Wright Kelley, 66, was remembered this week as an outstanding public servant and caring supervisor. At funeral services Monday, county and court officials praised Kelley, who died last Thursday (April 24) after a lengthy illness. Kelley served for 19 years as circuit court clerk. She had retired last December due to medical issues. Current court clerk Sandy McLain said Kelley was “an outstanding circuit court clerk. She was very devoted to this office. She always gave 100 percent when she was here to the service of this county.”