Billy C Jack

Billy Coleman Jack of Columbia, Tennessee, was born to Walter Green Jack and Louise Irving Coleman Jack at Kings Daughters' Hospital on May 16, 1938. Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 2:00 p.m. at St. Peter's Episcopal Church with The Reverend Thomas Wilson as Celebrant. Burial will follow in St. John's Episcopal Churchyard at Ashwood. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols and from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 p.m. in St. Peter's Parish Hall. Memorials may be made to St. John's Episcopal Church at Ashwood, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 211 West 7th Street, Columbia 38401 or Vanderbilt University Law School. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com.He was reared in Columbia and graduated from Columbia Central High School in 1956. He entered Tennessee Polytechnic Institute that same year and graduated in 1960, earning the bachelor of science degree in business administration. Mr. Jack then attended Vanderbilt University Law School, from which he graduated sixth in his class in 1963. He was an associate editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review and a member of Phi Delta Phi. He first practiced law with MacFarland & Colley. The firm later became MacFarland, Colley, Blank & Jack. Upon the retirement of Mr. Lon MacFarland, the firm continued for a number of years as Colley, Blank & Jack. Ultimately, Mr. Jack established the law firm of Billy C. Jack & Associates, where he practiced for the duration of his career. He was admitted to practice to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit; the U.S. Middle District Court; the United States Tax Court; and the Supreme Court of Tennessee. Over the course of his career as an attorney, his clients included Monsanto, State Farm Insurance for a 16 county area, Aetna Insurance, Allstate Insurance, Shelter Insurance, and Aberle Hosiery. He was hospital attorney for Maury County Hospital, now known as Maury Regional Hospital, for 35 years, and served as attorney for the City of Columbia for more than 20 years. He married Claudia Jean Spence of Montgomery, Alabama, on November 4, 1967. They were married for 37 years and delighted in their time together both as husband and wife and as legal partners. Together they had three children - Robert, Laura and Edward - and two grandsons - Charlie and William. During his lifetime, Mr. Jack was involved in a multitude of professional, civic and social organizations and endeavors, contributing to each his wit, wisdom and determination to constantly and consistently serve his community. Among the professional organizations to which he belonged were the American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Maury County Bar Association (past president), the Society of Hospital Attorneys of the American Hospital Association, the Maury County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Maury, the Maury County Homecoming 1986 Committee, the American Society of Law and Medicine. He was a founding member of the Tennessee Supreme Court Historical Society and the Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women. For twelve years, Mr. Jack served on the Tennessee Valley Authority's three member hearing panel that resolved land condemnation disputes for such entities as Land Between the Lakes and Columbia Dam. He was a member of the Sheriff's Association, Sons of American Legion, St. Thomas Society, the James K. Polk Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, and the United Way. Among other organizations, he sat on the board of Columbia Military Academy and of Harpeth Academy. He also served two terms as president of Columbia's Graymere Country Club. He was instrumental in the founding of several significant local and state organizations. When the State of Tennessee formed its Emergency Medical Services program, a group of ambulance service directors turned to Mr. Jack in 1973 to form an association of ambulance service providers. Through his efforts, the Tennessee Ambulance Service Association was created, and Mr. Jack served as the association's legal council for a number of years. And, he helped establish the Maury County YMCA, donating office space to that organization during its earliest days. For his various efforts on behalf of this state, he received certificates of appreciation from Governor Lamar Alexander and Governor Ned McWherter. He was a dedicated and devoted member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church and humbly served as licensed lay reader for 34 years, chalice bearer, and a member of the vestry, on which he served two terms as senior warden. He chaired the 1978 annual convention of the Diocese of Tennessee and for over 30 years was a member of the Board of Overseers of St. John's Episcopal Church at Ashwood.He is survived by his wife, his children and his grandsons. He is also survived by cousins, Mary Cowan of Orlando, Florida, and Berrie Boyd of Columbia, Tennessee. Active pallbearers are Jerry C. Colley, Andrew Donald Crichton, Beverly Douglas, Jr., Dr. James M. Fitts, Edwin W. Halliday, Judge Jim T. Hamilton, Dr. James B. Kelley, James J. Mays, W. Terrence Mays, Dr. B. I. Naddy, Dr. John R. Olson, Anthony J. Sciotto and Ralph Wible. Honorary pallbearers include members of the Board to Oversee St. John's at Ashwood, Judges of the 22nd Judicial Circuit, members of the Maury County Bar Association, and members of the James K. Polk Lodge of Fraternal Order of Police; Rick Alexander, Jim Barrier, Douglas T. Bates, III, James Boyd, Governor Phil Bredesen, Ashley Brown, John S. Colley, Lewis H. Conner, C. Hayes Cooney, U. S. Representative Jim Cooper, William Crutchfield, Dr. Thomas S. Dake, Dr. Eslick E. Daniel, Dr. George Fiedler, James M. Fleming, William S. Fleming, Thomas W. Hardin, Dwight Hawks, Judge William (Joe) Haynes, Senator Roy Herron, Waymon L. Hickman, Douglas E. Jones, Sam Delk Kennedy, Marshall P. Ledbetter, Jr., Harold W. Lucas, Charlie Mann, Sue McClure, Dr. Kenneth L. Moore, Virgil L. Moore, Thomas H. Peebles, III, John C. Porter, Mayor Bill Purcell, Former Ambassador Jim Sasser, Dr. Mark Seago, Emory Sourbeer, Ronnie Steine, Twyman L. Towery, Alston VanderHorst, Barbara J. Walker, J. Frank Walker, M. Glenn West, William Walter and Fred W. White.