I was saddened by the loss of Judge Bob Cooper. Judge Cooper, at one time, was Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court before his retirement.
Judge Cooper was a wonderful man; a wonderful husband and father who raised a good family.
I was privileged to be a member of a
Wednesday morning Coffee Club with Judge Cooper also Judge Bob Summitt and several other gentlemen. I was not able to attend each
Wednesday but when I could go I certainly enjoyed it. When I became Judge I received a lot of advice on how to handle cases in court from the Judges. Some of the advice solicited by me, some unsolicited.
Either way, it was always good advice that I followed and appreciated. It helped me a lot especially through the early years of my Judgeship.
There is one situation I will always remember. There was a portrait unveiling of Judge Cooper at the Hamilton County Courthouse. I believe it was on a Monday orTuesday morning. There were many dignitaries. There was Supreme Court Justices, I believe the Governor was there and several State Senators. After the portrait unveiling, everyone started crowing around Judge Cooper shaking his hand and taking pictures with him in front of his portrait. I was in the back of the crowd. Judge Cooper spotted me and called out my name and motioned me up there. I made my way through the crowd and as I approached him he leaned over and said, "are you going to make it Wednesday"? (Referring to the Coffee Club). I was amused that he would be interested in the Coffee Club at the unveiling of his portrait but I was extremely honored that he considered me enough of his friend to bring me forward on this auspicious occasion.
The Coffee Club - we almost felt like a family.
Judge Robert Cooper was a great man who left his mark on the State of Tennessee. I will miss him and those Wednesday mornings.
City Judge Russell Bean