John Jay Hooker Jr.

Mr. Hooker was a longtime lawyer, politician, entrepreneur, social justice advocate and proud resident of Nashville, TN. The son of the late John Jay Hooker, Sr. and Darthula Williamson Hooker June, John Jay Hooker, Jr. and his father practiced law together before he and his brother Henry Hooker started their own firm of Hooker, Hooker and Willis. John Jay considered his brother to be his greatest collaborator and smiled at the mention of his name. As a duo, their talents in law, politics and business opened doors to new ideas.

John Jay Hooker was a thinking man who believed that in all matters the secret to success was to "fish in the right pond, with the right bait and the right people." In his final days, he poignantly added the words, "at the right time." John Jay knew that too often his timing was early in others' opinions but he still forged ahead. He chose to live his life responding to the times at hand with a firm handshake, a pat on the back and a clenched fist hold on his vision for the future. Influenced by his dear friend John Seigenthaler, together the two took important risks to bring awareness to the struggles of those denied their civil rights. And together they changed the conversation. Mr. Hooker, who loved nothing more than someone to play catch with, found in Mr. Seigenthaler his most beloved pal. Countless others across generations supported Mr. Hooker in his campaigns and made his dream of public discourse for the greater good possible. He was a man intimate with the nature of challenge and preferred its merit to the easier way.

Benefitted by excellent education at Parmer School, Sewanee Military Academy, Graham-Eckes, Montgomery Bell Academy, University of the South and Vanderbilt Law School, his oratory skills engendered respect even by those on the other side of his issues, as did his courage and conviction. As a descendant of William Blount, a signer of the Constitution, Mr. Hooker felt honored to do his part to keep its powers relevant in present times. John Jay gave his last energy to the cause of a human being's right to suffer less at life's end. His efforts across decades to assist the living in need carved a path that led him inevitably to assist the dying. He had talked a great deal about this privately long before his own illness gave him standing. In his final case he was tirelessly represented by his confidant and lawyer Hal Hardin and esteemed colleague Cindy Chappell. In his last and greatest fight to live meaningfully he was cared for by the honorable Dr. Judson Rogers. And in all things he was helped by his greatest friend Grant Browning and was steadied by his faithful lunch companion Al Thomason. The friendship of Governor Winfield Dunn, who defeated Mr. Hooker in his 1970 race for Governor, was a source of joy for John Jay and taught others reams about the meaning of friendship and the constitution of men in public service and private moments.

Mr. Hooker had prepared to deliver a final speech on the virtues of the law and the civic responsibility to be its honest critic and advocate. Unfortunately unable to make it, he would find great peace in knowing that others will carry on the courageous work of search for truth and justice. He last held especially dear the words in Article 1, Section 3 of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee, "That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience....that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience." He implored more people to engage with the government and Constitutions of this great country and state in his high hope that in doing so we would be brought closer to the essence of our own inner constitutions and those of our founding fathers.

Mr. Hooker will be remembered as a fighter as well as a gentle soul who loved his fellow man and was the father of four children, Dara Hooker, Kendall Hooker Hinote, John Blount Hooker (daughter-in-law Dixie Gaw Hooker) and James Lovell, and grandfather of Jacob, Grace, Nathan and Anna Hooker. John Jay was fortunate to have been married twice in his life, to Tish Fort (daughter of the late Rufus E. and Agnes Fort) and Paula Lovell, as well as to have the devotion of Jennifer Oakley in the years after. John Jay's children are grateful to them for all their love, knowing he was a better man for having had them as partners. He knew well the importance of family, perhaps first of all from his sister, Teenie Buchtel. He remembered with affection the presence of extended family, notably his sister-in-law Alice Ingram Hooker, and his brothers-in-law Gilbert Merritt, Terence Fails and Livingfield More, nieces and nephews John Jay Buchtel, Brad, Timmy and Lisa Hooker, Stroud, Louise Clark and Eli Merritt, Terence and Garth Fort, and Ellen More. Minnie Seagraves and her protection of his children left him humbled and grateful. The kindness showed to him by those at Park Manor, Sarah Cannon Cancer Center and Alive Hospice will never be forgotten.

If one man with courage is indeed a majority, John Jay Hooker wins by a landslide. If a man who has even one friend upon his death has amassed a great fortune, then given his depth and breadth of true friendships, he died wealthier than he had ever been before. If one's ex-anything sitting by one's bedside at last breath is considered an affirmation of a life well lived, then Tish's presence there proves by all accounts that matter that he did.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Nashville School of Law, Attn. John Jay Hooker, Jr. Scholarship Fund, 4013 Armory Oaks Dr, Nashville, TN 37204. For questions call 615-780-2242.

The family has arranged for a private burial service. A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, February 6, at the Downtown Public Library in the Grand Reading Room. Visitation with family will begin at 1 o'clock with remembrances starting at 2pm. The Main library is located at 615 Church Street with a parking garage on the corner of 7th and Church Street. Note that the library closes at 5pm.