James W. Hodges Sr. died Thursday (Jan. 12) at 87. Originally from Arkansas, Hodges attended the Southern School of Law in Memphis and began his legal career with the U.S. Department of Defense in the Washington, D.C., area. Following his retirement, Hodges returned to Memphis, where he started his own law firm and became one of the founding members of the Memphis Federal Bar Association. A memorial service was held today at the West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery in Germantown. The Commercial Appeal has more on his life.

Longtime Knoxville lawyer Edwin Hope "E.H." Rayson Jr. died Jan. 7 at 93. Rayson served as an officer in the U.S. Navy before attending the University of Tennessee College of Law. He graduated in 1948 and formed the firm of Johnson & Rayson with a classmate. In 1949, he joined the firm Kramer, McNabb & Greenwood (which would become Kramer Rayson) and became a partner in 1950. Rayson practiced in the areas of labor and employment law, representing the United Mine Workers of America, Atomic Energy Commission contractors and Department of Energy contractors in Oak Ridge. A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday at Central Baptist Church of Oak Ridge. Family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall after the service. Contributions may be made to Legal Aid of East Tennessee. Knoxnews has more on his life.

Oak Ridge attorney Billy Sams, 63, died Jan. 7. A native of Kingsport, Sams earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and then joined the Air Force JAG Corps. After leaving the service, he opened a law practice in Oak Ridge in 1982. A memorial service will be held Saturday at 3:30 p.m. with a reception to follow at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge. Memorial donations may be made to the Anderson County Bar Association, 109 W. Tennessee Ave., Oak Ridge, TN 37830, for the county law library and student scholarships.

William Thomas Maxwell Jr., a graduate of Duke University and the University of Memphis School of Law, died Jan. 5 at 63. He owned a real estate law firm and served as legal counsel to the Decorative Arts Trust, The Commercial Appeal reports. Maxwell also was active in the state and local bar associations as well as the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. The burial service will be private for the family, but a celebration of life will be held Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the University Club for friends.

Memphis lawyer Allen Cox Dunstan died Jan. 5 at age 69. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and the Vanderbilt Law School, Dunstan started his legal career at Evans Petree Cobb and Edwards. For the last 25 years, he was a partner at Harkavy Shainberg Kaplan & Dunstan. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Memorial Park Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home. The Commercial Appeal has more on Dunstan’s life.

Memphis lawyer Kevin Paul Henson, 49, died Jan. 3. A graduate of Bolton High School and the University of Memphis, Henson worked as a criminal defense attorney in Memphis and was an avid traveler and adventurer. Funeral services were private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be sent to the Memphis Humane Society or a charity of the donor’s choice. The Commercial Appeal has more on his life.

Bartlett lawyer Faye Longo, age 62, died unexpectedly on Dec. 28. Funeral services were held last week in Memphis followed by burial in Memorial Gardens. Longo shared a law office with her daughter Stacey in Bartlett. The office will be closed until further notice. Online condolences may be made by through Memphis Funeral Homes & Memorial Gardens. Find more on her life from The Commercial Appeal.

Dickson Lawyer Clyde Douglas Cluck died Jan. 2 at the age of 80. Before graduating from the YMCA Night Law School in 1971, Cluck completed stints in the U.S. Army, as a juvenile probation officer and as director of education for the state Division of Youth Services and Department of Corrections. He later was named assistant commissioner of Youth Services and then director of parole, a position he held until his retirement. Following retirement, he worked as a part-time assistant district attorney in the 23rd Judicial District for 13 years. Visitation will be Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Taylor Funeral Home and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Dickson. Funeral services will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday. Donations may be made to the church’s Odds & Ends Class Benevolent Fund, American Cancer Society or charity of choice. The Daily News Journal has more.

Memphis lawyer Thomas Robinson James died Jan. 1 at the age of 87. A 1952 graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, James joined with his brother-in-law and a classmate to form the law firm of Adams, James & Weldon and practiced there for 20 years. He later created the firm of James, Ray & McEvoy and then served for many years with the law firm of Walt, Dyer & James. Father to a daughter with special needs, James worked locally and at the state level to enhance opportunities for the disabled, including pushing a law mandating an education for every child. Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home. A burial mass will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at St. Louis Catholic Church. Donations may be made to the disability support group SRVS or Christian Brothers High School. The Commercial Appeal has more on his life.