Individual Details

James Minor Tait, Jr. - Son of James Minor Tait, Sr. and Mary Hale Tait. Born December 8, 1926 in Memphis, Tennessee, Minor attended public schools in Memphis and graduated from Central High School in May, 1944. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1944 and served in the Army of Occupation in Okinawa. Attended Memphis State University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1950. He was selected to appear in the 1949 - 1950 addition of Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. He was a charter member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity at Memphis State University. After graduation, he attended Southern University College of Law and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1954. He was valedictorian of his class. After graduation from Law School, he was appointed as an Assistant District Attorney for the 15th Judicial Circuit of Tennessee where he served for 8 & 1/2 years. He left the District Attorneys Office in 1964 and became an associate with the Memphis law firm of McDonald, Kuhn, McDonald, Crenshaw and Smith. In 1968 he was appointed as a part time Assistant Shelby County Attorney where he served until his retirement on January 1, 1997. His private practice and Shelby County practice was devoted almost exclusively to trial work. He practiced in every Court in Shelby County, the Court of Appeals of Tennessee and the Tennessee Supreme Court. He also practiced in the Federal District Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th circuit in Cincinnati and the Supreme Court of the United States. He served on the Board of Directors of the Memphis and Shelby County Bar Association and the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association. He served as President of the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association in 1989-1990. Among his hobbies were hunting, fishing and racquetball. He participated in tournament racquetball and in the 1970's won the state doubles championship, master division and the city single and doubles championship master division. He retired in January 1997. The Law Firm name had changed over the years to McDonald Kuhn. He was one of the senior partners. He married Ann Marie Wood on August 24, 1950. The couple had 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls. He is predeceased by his daughter Carolyn Marie Tait. He is survived by: his wife of 60 years, Ann Wood Tait; his children, James Minor Tait III, Robert Wood Tait, and Mariann Tait Barksdale; his six grandchildren, James Minor Tait IV, Kristina Marie Tait, Victoria Chandler Tait, Andrew Tait Barksdale, Cannon Tait Barksdale and Carolyn Marie Barksdale; his brother, Arthur William Tait and his sister, Marijean Tait Canfield. They are members of Colonial Park United Methodist Church. A visitation will be held at Memorial Park Funeral Home Monday, May 10, 2010 from 5-7:30 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at Colonial Park United Methodist Church Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 1 p.m. Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please send any memorials to King's Daughter's and Son's Home. Memorial Park Funeral Home (Published in The Commercial Appeal on May 10, 2010) 

Birth	8 Dec 1926	Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Census-shared	8 Apr 1930	(Annie Eliza Boswell) Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Census (family)-shared	12 Apr 1940	(James Minor Tait Sr. and Mary Hale) Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Marriage	24 Aug 1950	Tennessee - Ann Marie Wood
Residence	1 Aug 1995	Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Death	8 May 2010	Shelby County, Tennessee
Obituary	10 May 2010	Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Burial	11 May 2010	Memorial Park Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

Spouse	Ann Marie Wood (1931 - 2018)
Child	Carolyn Marie Tait (1959 - 1965)
Child	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living

Father	James Minor Tait Sr. (1902 - 1986)
Mother	Mary Hale (1891 - 1985)
Sibling	Arthur William Tait (1929 - 2012)
Sibling	Marijean Tait (1933 - )

Notes