Knoxville lawyer Patty Wheeler, 81, died at home surrounded by her family on June 24. After earning a doctorate degree and law degree from the University of Southern California, Wheeler moved to Knoxville, where she worked at McCampbell & Young, Lewis King, and Wimberly Lawson. During her career, Wheeler served on the Knoxville Bar Association Board of Governors, on the Tennessee Justice Center Board of Governors and as an adjunct professor of research and writing at the University of Tennessee College of Law. She also was a founding member of the East Tennessee Law Association for Women. Following her retirement, she volunteered at the Family Justice Center. Memorial donations may be made to Discover Life in America, 1316 Cherokee Rd., Gatlinburg, TN 37738.

Nashville attorney Wilson “Woody” Sims died on June 26. He was 97. Sims joined Nashville law firm Bass, Berry & Sims in 1948 after graduating from Vanderbilt University Law School. Sims remained with the firm for more than 50 years, practicing in a variety of areas. Sims is a former president of the TBA and a House of Delegates member, as well as a former president of the Nashville Bar Association and the founding president of the Nashville Bar Foundation. He was a member of the Tennessee legislature in 1959 and 1960 and was appointed by the governor in the 1960s to chair the Tennessee Commission on Human Relations, which dealt with troubled areas of race relations in the state. Services for Sims will be held at West End United Methodist Church on July 6 at 11 a.m. CDT. Visitation will be held from 9:30-11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to The Webb School, P.O. Box 488, Bell Buckle, TN 37020; Vanderbilt Law School, 131 21st Ave South, Nashville, TN 37203; or West End United Methodist Church, 2200 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203.

Longtime Chattanooga attorney Howard Ivan Levine died Wednesday. He was 84. A graduate of the University of Virginia Law School, Levine joined Chattanooga’s Miller, Martin, Hitching, Tipton & Lenihan, which is known today as Miller & Martin. Levine practiced at Miller & Martin his entire career, serving several years as chairman/managing partner. He practiced in corporate, healthcare and trusts and estates law and previously served as chair of the TBA’s Health Law Section. A memorial service will be held for Levine on July 12 at 10 a.m. EDT at Mizpah Congregation and a lunch reception following at noon at Chattanooga Golf & Country Club. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Mizpah Congregation, 923 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37403; The McCallie School, 500 Dodds Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37404; or the charitable organization of your choice.

Lynn Paula Talley of Knoxville died Sunday after a long battle with cancer. Talley, a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law, spent most of her career as an attorney with the Social Security Administration in Knoxville. She loved spending time with family and friends, traveling and volunteering in the community. She will be remembered for her involvement with the YWCA of Knoxville and her Cancer Support group. A viewing will be held on July 8 from 4-6 p.m. and a family viewing on July 9 from 10-11 a.m. at Lewis & Wright Funeral Directors, 2500 Clarksville Highway, Nashville TN 37208. A celebration of life will take place on July 9 at 11 a.m. All times central.

Forrest Bedford Smith Jr. died on May 5. He was 87. Smith grew up in Shelbyville and was a longtime Nashville area resident before moving to Florida upon retirement. He began his career as an engineer with the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC), where he was employed when he graduated from the Nashville School of Law and passed the bar exam in 1975. While at AEDC he was responsible for developing the center’s strategic planning process that set a national standard for government organizations. Celebration of life services will be held July 9 at 10 a.m. CDT at First United Methodist Church, 122 Public Square N., Shelbyville. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to First United Methodist Church of Shelbyville or a charity of your choice.

Nashville lawyer Luther Ernest “Pete” Cantrell Jr. died Monday at the age of 88. Following high school graduation, Cantrell was drafted by the U.S. Army and was stationed in London, where he played in the Army band. Following discharge, he attended the University of Tennessee and the YMCA Night Law School (now known as the Nashville School of Law). After passing the bar, Cantrell joined Thomas O.H. Smith in his law practice. They later formed the firm of Smith, Davies, Cantrell, which eventually evolved to Davies, Cantrell, Humphries & McCoy. He also worked at the Nashville School of Law for many years. The school recognized that service by naming the bookstore after him. Cantrell also received the school’s alumni award in 1996. Visitation will take place Friday from 2-7 p.m. and Saturday from 10-11:30 a.m. A funeral service will be held Saturday at 11:30 a.m. followed by a committal service at 12:30 p.m. CDT. All events will take place at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 660 Thompson Ln., Nashville, TN 37204.

Memphis attorney Colby Shannon Morgan Jr. died May 24. He was 73. A graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Morgan’s legal career included years of service with the Jackson Lewis law firm, FedEx and Holiday Corporation and private practices in New York and Memphis, including Apperson Crump PLC. He received several awards for his litigation successes during his time with FedEx, including the Five Star Award, FedEx's highest honor, as well as multiple Bravo Zulu and Star Rating awards for outstanding performance. Morgan was admitted to practice in Tennessee and New York, as well as 15 federal district courts, seven U.S. Courts of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Funeral Services will be held at Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis, with a visitation on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. CDT, followed by a memorial service on Friday at 1 p.m. CDT.

Knoxville lawyer Anna Carylon Fox Hinds died Wednesday at 83. Hinds earned her law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1967 and formed her own firm in Knoxville. During her career, she developed a reputation as a preeminent legal provider in the areas of estate planning, probate, trusts and strategies regarding the preservation, allocation and disposition of assets. She was serving as “of counsel” with the firm of Owings, Wilson, Coleman at the time of her death. Hinds was active in the local and state legal community, serving as president of the Knoxville Barristers, treasurer of the Knoxville Bar Foundation and co-chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Jury Reform Commission. She also was active in the American Bar Association and its Young Lawyers Section. A graveside service will be held June 2 at 1 p.m. EDT at Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, 5901 Lyons View Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral.

The life of retired Tennessee Appeals Court Judge Charles D. Susano Jr. was celebrated last week in Knoxville. All five members of the Tennessee Supreme Court were in attendance at Susano’s funeral mass on Tuesday, as were judges in the Eastern Section of the Court of Appeals. “He was a great partner and incredible lawyer who did an amazing job of coping with a terrible situation,” former TBA President Sarah Sheppeard said of Susano’s 1993 sleepwalking accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down.  Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee said Susano “had a huge heart, a brilliant mind, a deep and abiding faith, and an almost endless capacity to love others.” “He was a highly respected appellate judge, yet remained humble and grateful for the opportunities he had been given,” Lee said. The Knoxville News Sentinel has more on Susano’s life.

Former Tennessee Judge Charles E. Nearn died April 25. He was 90. A Memphis native, Nearn earned his law degree from Southern Law University and served as a general sessions judge, a judge on the chancery court and later on the Tennessee Court of Appeals for the Western Section, where he served as presiding judge until his retirement in 1986. A rosary and memorial mass were held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Germantown. Memorial contributions may be made to Ave Maria Home, 2795 Charles Bryan Rd., Bartlett, TN 38134.