William John "Jack" Reynolds died Feb. 20 at age 90. He graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with a degree in agriculture education, and after completing military service, he received a law degree from Southern Law School, now the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Reynolds began practicing law in Selmer in 1964. He served as county attorney for McNairy County, alderman for the City of Selmer and was a member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, as well as the Hardin and McNairy County Bar Associations. In 1984, he moved his law practice to Savannah where he was later joined by his son and grandson, practicing under the law firm name of Reynolds & Reynolds. The family held a private graveside service. Memorials may be sent to Savannah Church of Christ, 1175 Pickwick St S., Savannah, TN 38372, or the donor's charity of choice.

Maria Jeannette Merrill of Columbus, Indiana, died on Feb. 19 at age 62. She earned a degree in nursing from the University of Evansville, a master's degre in nursing education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and her law degree from the Nashville School of Law. Merrill was a member of the American Society of Health Risk Management, the Health Care Compliance Association, the American Health Lawyer's Association and the Tennessee Bar Association. She worked at Lincoln Health System in Fayetteville as the chief legal officer and for the Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga for 18 years where she served as a clinical nurse specialist and later as the privacy program manager. A celebration life will be held Feb. 29 at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home, 3855 25th St., Columbus, Indiana 47203. Visitation begins at 4 p.m. EST and a tribute from the Nursing Honor Guard will start at 6 p.m. Donations may be made to the American Heart Association to support women's heart health.

Jeffery D. Parrish of Scotts Hill died Feb. 18 at the age of 61. A graduate of the University of Memphis School of Law, Parrish began his legal career in private practice, later handling corporate health care matters. He practiced with Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis LLP for many years. Most recently, he was state counsel and field director for U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn. In addition to his professional career, Parrish enjoyed travel, music, food and boating. Visitation will be held tomorrow from 3-7 p.m. CST at St. Regina Catholic Church, 108 Skyline Ln., Parsons 38363. A funeral mass will be held at the church on Friday at noon.

The Memphis Bar Association (MBA) will host its annual memorial service on April 11, beginning at noon CDT, for members who have died over the past year. The in-person event will take place at Calvary Episcopal Church, 102 N. Second St., Memphis 38103. A reception will follow the service.

Nashville lawyer Richard Warren Sebastian died on Feb. 9 at the age of 59. Sebastian served as the managing partner of the Ortale Kelley Law Firm and focused his practice in the areas of real estate law, commercial transactions and corporate law. Sebastian attended Battle Ground Academy, Middle Tennessee State University, and the Nashville School of Law, graduating in 1992. Services will be held at St. Henry Catholic Church, 6401 Harding Pk., Nashville 37205, on Thursday. Visitation will be from 9-10 a.m. CST followed by a mass and burial at Harpeth Hills Memory Garden, 9090 Hwy. 100, Nashville 37221.

Knoxville lawyer Gaither Wilson Horde Jr. died Friday at 97. Horde grew up in Nashville and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, participating in landings at Saipan and Iwo Jima. Following military service, he attended Peabody College and Vanderbilt Law School, receiving his law degree in 1951. Horde began practicing law in Knoxville with Stone, Bozeman, & Horde before serving as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee. He later served as general counsel for Union Carbide Nuclear Division and Lockheed Martin Energy Systems for 33 years. He returned to private practice, joining the law firm of Kramer Rayson, where he retired at the age of 90. From 2011 to 2015, he served on the TBA's House of Delegates. The family will gather at Edgewood Cemetery for a private graveside service on Feb 16. Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army of Knoxville, P.O. Box 669, Knoxville, TN 37901-0669.

John Howard Roe Jr., one of the founding partners of Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison, died Tuesday after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Roe, 77, began his legal career in Atlanta and then moved back to Nashville in 1974 to be closer to his childhood home of Clarksville. In 1981, he and colleague Tom Sherrard opened the law offices of O’Hare, Sherrard & Roe. He remained active in the firm until his gradual retirement beginning in 2019 and ending recently. Throughout his 50-year legal career, Roe developed an expertise in commercial real estate, tax law, municipal finance and international law. He also co-wrote the Tennessee Condominium Act of 2008. A 1972 graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, he was active in the Nashville community, supporting the local chapter of the Boy Scouts and serving on the board of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. Services will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Saturday. Visitation will begin at 2:30 p.m. with a celebration of life service to follow at 4 p.m. CST. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville.

William Hoytte "Bill" Austin Jr. died on Jan. 29 at age 88. Originally from Mississippi, Austin graduated from The University of Mississippi in 1956, returning home to Lake Cormorant to manage his family farm, the largest dairy cattle herd and operation in the state of Mississippi at the time. Under his leadership, Austin Farms built the most advanced milking parlor facilities in the south. When the family farm was sold, Austin decided to make a career change. He attended Memphis State School of Law and received his law degree in 1972. Austin opened his own practice in 1977, known today as The Austin Law Firm. Licensed to practice law in Tennessee, he was a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and past president of the DeSoto County Bar Association. Memorials may be sent to The William Hoytte Austin Jr. Endowed Scholarship at Northwest Mississippi Community College, 4975 Highway 51N. Senatobia, MS 38668.

Tennessee attorney Frank Douglas Newman died Jan. 21 at 91. Newman was born in Coral Gables, Florida, and attended the University of Florida, receiving his law degree in 1957. After serving as a captain in U.S. Army Special Forces in Vietnam, Newman practiced law in Jacksonville and DeLand, later becoming a partner in a Miami law firm, where he spent most of his law career. In 2002, Newman relocated to Tennessee, opening a law office in downtown Elizabethton. He was involved with the Elizabethton Kiwanis Club and in 2019, was presented the East Tennessee Foundation Citizen of the Year Award. Memorial donations may be made to the Boys & Girls Club of Elizabethton/Carter County, 104 Hudson Dr., Elizabethton, TN 37643. The family says it will hold a celebration of life at a future date.

Frank Buck, a former state representative, died yesterday at 80. Buck was born in 1943 in Trousdale County and graduated from Tennessee Technological University before receiving a law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. He first joined the law office of McAllen Foutch and later formed his own practice, Buck & Buck Attorneys, with his wife Lena. In 1972, Buck successfully ran for the General Assembly and represented District 40 for 36 years, retiring in 2005. While in the House, Buck served as chair of the House Judiciary and Conservation and Environment committees and vice chair of the Transportation Committee. The Tennessean has this in-depth look at his time in office. Buck was named Tennessean of the Year in 2005 and served four years as chair of the Tennessee Judicial Council. Visitation is scheduled at Love Cantrell Funeral Home, 100 East Church St., Smithville 37166 on Jan. 27 from 3-7 p.m. and on Jan. 28 from 11a.m.- 2p.m. CST. A celebration of life will follow the visitation on Jan. 28.