Former Chattanooga Bar Association president JOSIAH “JODY” CARR EGGLESTON BAKER, 85, died Feb. 10. Baker, who grew up in Chattanooga, graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School and the U.S Naval Intelligence School. He worked in Washington, D.C., for four years but returned to Tennessee in 1955 to serve as deputy clerk and master of the Davidson County Chancery Court. In 1958, he relocated to Chattanooga and became a partner at Goins, Gammons, Baker and Robinson. In 1984, he started Josiah Baker and Associates, which later became Baker, Kinsman, Hollis, Clelland & Hogue. Memorial contributions may be made to First Centenary United Methodist Church Building Fund, 419 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37402; Hospice of Chattanooga, 4411 Oakwood Dr., Chattanooga, TN 37416; or Baylor School, 171 Baylor School Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37405.

Knoxville lawyer ROBERT J. ENGLISH died Feb. 5 at the age of 76. English began his trial experience as an attorney for the City of Knoxville soon after his graduation from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1964. He later joined Guess, English & Robinson, where he represented individuals and families in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. English served as president of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association in 1974. He lectured frequently on tort and trial techniques across the south. He also was active in the Knoxville Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, and the Inns of Court.  Memorial donations may be made to Second Harvest Food Bank, 331 Great Circle Rd., Nashville, TN 37228 or Central Baptist Church of Bearden, 6300 Deane Hill Dr., Knoxville, TN 37919.

Chattanooga lawyer JAMES “JIM” WALTER GENTRY JR. died Feb. 10 at the age of 86. Gentry began law school at the University of North Carolina but withdrew to join the Marine Corps. After serving in Korea, he attended Vanderbilt University Law School and completed his law degree in 1956. Gentry moved to Chattanooga and began practicing with several firms before forming Gentry & Boehm, which focused on environmental law cases. The firm dissolved in 1991 and Gentry rejoined Spears, Moore, Rebman & Williams, where he remained until retiring. Memorials may be made to the James W. and Margaret A. Gentry Scholarship at the University of the South, 735 University Ave., Sewanee, TN 37383; the Hospice of Chattanooga, 4411 Oakwood Dr., Chattanooga, TN 37416; or MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030.

Nashville lawyer KENNETH RAY JONES JR., a founding member of Jones Hawkins & Farmer, died March 1 at the age of 60. Jones was a 1980 graduate of the Vanderbilt University Law School, where he served as executive editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He began his career with Bass Berry & Sims and later moved to the firm of Sherrard & Roe, where he became a partner. After 14 years with that firm, he formed Jones Hawkins & Farmer. Jones  focused his law practice on securities, corporate and commercial litigation, and business disputes. He was named a Master of the Bench of the Harry Phillips American Inn of Court, and in 2014, was selected as a fellow of the Nashville Bar Foundation. Memorial donations may be made to Rest Stop Ministries, P.O. Box 156, Hermitage, TN 37076 or Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation-Pearl Point, 310 25th Ave. North, Suite 103, Nashville, TN 37203.

Nashville lawyer CHARLES MICHAEL NORTON, a founding member of Bone McAllester Norton, died Feb. 21 of Parkinson’s disease. He was 66. After graduating from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1974, Norton took a job as legal counsel to the Tennessee commissioner of revenue. For four years he helped the General Assembly re-write the state’s inheritance and corporate income tax laws. At the law firm, Norton worked primarily in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, municipal bonds, corporate law, securities and taxes. He also became an expert on art sales, leading Fisk University’s legal battle to sell part of the Alfred Stieglitz Collection. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Augustine’s Chapel Columbarium Fund, 200 24th Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37212; Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson St., Nashville, TN 37203; Nashville Humane Society, 213 Oceola Ave., Nashville, TN 37209; or the Aicardi Syndrome Foundation, PO Box 3202, St. Charles, IL 60174.