Knoxville Judge Richard R. Vance died on Dec. 3. He was 76. Vance was a Knoxville native and graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1966. He volunteered for service in the U.S. Air Force after law school, serving four years active duty and attaining the rank of Captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Department. He also served as a Military Judge, presiding over court martial cases. Judge Vance was first appointed Circuit Court Judge, Part II, by Governor Sundquist in 1997 to fill the vacancy after Judge William R. Holt Jr. retired. He was re-elected in 1998, 2006 and 2014. The family will receive friends 3 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Thursday with a funeral service to immediately follow at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Sevierville. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make memorial contributions to the American Lung Association or to a local charity of your choice.

Former state representative and lawyer Franklin Delano Cochran has died. He was 80. Cochran was originally from Tiptonville and earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. He served as a judge, a city and county attorney, a state representative from 1962 to 1970 and as the Public Service Commissioner for the western half of Tennessee from 1976 to 1994. The family will receive friends in Nashville on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Forest Hills Baptist Church, 2101 Old Hickory Blvd. Visitation prior to the funeral will be held on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Dyersburg Funeral Home Tiptonville location, with the funeral at 2 p.m.

Nashville School of Law professor and attorney Patrick Joseph McHale died on Nov. 20. He was 66. Prior to his four-decade career in law, McHale graduated of Vanderbilt School of Law. During his career he worked at a private practice in Murfreesboro, served as managing attorney at USF&G, and worked at the Tennessee Department of Labor. He served as professor of Conflicts of Law at Nashville School of Law. A memorial service will be held on Dec. 12 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Nashville School of Law. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Nashville School of Law or the Nashville Symphony. The family would appreciate receiving remembrances, photos and antidotes by email at memoriesofbigpapi@gmail.com.

Chattanooga lawyer Charles W. “Buz” Dooley died on Dec. 2. He was 82. A native of Lawrenceburg, he graduated from Columbia Military Academy in 1952 and served as a captain in the United States Army Reserve. He earned his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 1969. In his career he was known as a dedicated pro bono volunteer, working extensively with Legal Aid of East Tennessee. He was recognized for his pro bono work by numerous organizations, including winning the Harris Gilbert Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year Award from the TBA in 2014. He is also a past president of the Chattanooga Bar Association. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church or a charity of one’s choice. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church with a reception and celebration of life following.

Former Hamilton County Judge and state legislator Don Moore died on Nov. 28. He was 89. Moore was a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Law and a veteran of World War II and the Korean War with the U.S. Army. He was elected in 1956 to the Tennessee house of Representatives and in 1966 to the Tennessee State Senate, where he served as chair of the Fiscal Review Committee. From 1974 to 1978 he served as the County Judge of Hamilton County. He served as a Hamilton County Court Judge from 1978 to 1982 and was named Legislative Conservationist of the Year in 1968. A celebration of life will be held graveside at Beautiful Greenwood Cemetery on Monday at 1:30 p.m. Donations in his memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

Nashville litigator John L. Chambers died on Nov. 25. He was 81. Chambers practiced at the Nashville office of Adams and Reese as a member of the Litigation Practice Group and Commercial Dispute Practice Team. Prior to his legal practice, Chambers earned his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1960 and served in the U.S. Navy, ending his service as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Reserve. He served as secretary/treasurer of the Nashville Bar Association from 1969-1970, director in 2001-2003 and first vice president in 2003. He was president-elect of the Tennessee Supreme Court Historical Society and a member of its Board of Directors. Services will be held Dec. 7 at 11 a.m., followed by a reception at 11:45 a.m., at Christ Church Cathedral, 900 Broadway in Nashville. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, 300 Deaderick Street, Nashville, Tennessee 37201.

Leo Vital, husband of TBA House of Delegates member Patricia Vital, died on Monday, Chattanoogan.com reports. He was 95. The family will receive friends Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Road. Services will be held Friday at 12:30 p.m. in the funeral home. A private family burial will follow at the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Tennessee Aquarium Penguin Fund or a charity of choice.

Thomas Draper Kerr Jr. died at his home in Knoxville on Nov. 13. He was 70. Kerr was a retired attorney who received a degree from the University of Tennessee Law School. He later a earned a Masters of Maritime Law from Tulane University, and was also a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Humane Society or any charity of choice.