Brooks McLemore

Funeral services for Brooks McLemore, 92, long-time judge and advocate of court modernization will be conducted at 2:00 pm, Monday, August 20th at George A. Smith & Sons Funeral Home, North Chapel with Bro. Ron Hale officiating. The family will receive friends at George A. Smith & Sons Funeral Home North Chapel, Sunday August 19th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Entombment will be at Ridgecrest Cemetery.

Judge McLemore died August 15th at Piedmont Henry Hospital, Stockbridge Georgia. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Elizabeth Meeks McLemore; two nephews, Louis Brooks Hardcastle of Atlanta and Roy Hardcastle of Fayette County. He had one sister, Margaret Hardcastle and one half-brother, Elmon (Tode) Fly, who preceded him in death.

Born in Medina, Tennessee, his parents were the late Nona Perkins McLemore and Eugene B. McLemore. He claimed Jackson as his residence almost his entire life.

He was a veteran of WWII - 44 months of service - 2 ½ years in Asiatic Pacific Theater.

Judge McLemore was educated in the Jackson City Schools, West Tennessee Business College, Union University and received his Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from Vanderbilt University. As a senior at Vanderbilt he organized the moot court system and was the first Chief Justice. He was also a graduate of the National College of the Judiciary at the University of Nevada, Reno. He was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega college fraternity and a member of Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity.

He was engaged in the private practice of law from 1950 to 1960. He served three terms in the State Senate and was nominated for a fourth term before he was appointed Chancellor of the 14th Chancery Division of Tennessee in 1960. After serving 15 ½ years in that office he was elected by the Supreme Court of Tennessee to be the Executive Secretary of that Court (now known as Administrative Director of the Courts). After serving one year, he was elected Attorney General of Tennessee by the Supreme Court. After retiring he continued to serve as Special Justice of the Supreme Court and Special Judge of the Court of Appeals by designation of the Chief Justice.

Frank F. Drowota, III, and former Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court, stated: "His leadership, intellect and energy shaped the progress of the courts of this state. He was always gracious in manner and courteous in speech, and he had a warm and delightful personality. His soundness of judgment, impartiality, courage and fairness will always be remembered. He was one of Tennessee's great judges and judicial conference leaders." Judge Alan HIghers of the Tennessee Court of Appeals noted: "Brooks McLemore is a legend in Tennessee law. No man in our history has made greater a contribution to our state judiciary than he has done."

He was president of the Judicial Conference of Tennessee 1966-67. He was a member of the Judicial Council of Tennessee for 14 years. He was listed in Marquis' Who's Who in America. He served as a delegate to the National Conference of State Trial Judges, American Bar Association, three consecutive years. He was very active throughout his career in court modernization and after his retirement was cited by the Judicial Conference for his outstanding services and devoted leadership.

He was the teacher of an adult bible class, which bears his name at West Jackson Baptist Church for 41 years and he cherished the relationships he made there. He was Trustee of Union University for 12 years and was Trustee Emeritus at the time of his death. He received Union's Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1972.

As a practicing lawyer he was interested in Trade Unionism and represented many labor unions. He was president of the Jackson Trades Labor Council 1950 to 1953.

Memorials may be directed to West Jackson Baptist Church.