Back Porch (Stories)
Ahhhh....those perfect days when the humidity is down and the bugs are not out and you can sit on the back porch, drinking iced tea or something and sharing stories.
When I had the privilege to be behind the bench for the Probate Rocket Docket, every once in a while there would be an estate in which I recognized the deceased, and I would make a point to tell the courtroom something cool about the person. Usually it was a music or sports note as those were the worlds I knew, but I felt a little guilty as there were a lot of estates on my docket in which I could not say some neat tidbit about the deceased as I did not know anything.
So I created this page to tell a story, with permission, about some of those who have passed. Welcome to the back porch. Sit down over here and enjoy the view while I go make some tea. You can even check out the weather over on the right. Let me share some cool stories about folks that lived an amazing life.
Maury County Courthouse
A Hole in One but We're Not Talking about your HVAC system
Bob Maynard made his mark in Davidson County in more than one way. After his graduation from Vanderbilt and military service in Korea, he helped his parents, former owners of the Loveless Cafe, turn that restaurant into a Nashville icon. Later, he also developed another of the mid-state’s iconic businesses, which is now called Maynard Plumbing, Heating and Cooling -- but locals affectionately know Bob's company better as the “Maynard Man”. Bob also loved to play golf, both at his home course at Richland Country Club but also on some of the most renowned courses around the world. As you may or may not know, there is a tradition in golf that if you score a hole-in-one, you have to buy a round of drinks for everyone in the clubhouse bar when your round is done. It is a very good thing that Bob was successful in business because he needed the money as he scored ELEVEN HOLES-IN-ONE during his lifetime. Folks, those were on real golf courses, not miniature golf courses. In case you were wondering, a quick internet search tells me Tiger Woods has twenty in his lifetime, but let’s face it, Tiger played a lot more golf than Bob. Hit ‘em long and straight Bob Maynard. Rest in peace.
John Mark Fly was a brain, one of those types that absolutely loved learning and teaching. After getting his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MTSU, eventually he earned a PhD in Environmental Psychology from the University of Michigan. He settled back in Tennessee and was a professor at UT Knoxville for over three decades. But during his life he accomplished a feat that I doubt many, if any, of UT’s most famous athletes ever were able to do: he made 136 free throws in a row! I was going to write about this, but then when I read his obituary, I was struck that he had developed a set of personal life principals, and the family published them in his obituary. I thought they should be shared here: "I will . . . seek nature in every walk of life. Pursue personal growth and development. Communicate openly and freely explore ideas. Practice a life of simplicity and sustainability. Seek new experiences, new knowledge, and new skills. Choose a life of healthy living in body, mind, and spirit. Value experiences, relationships, and spirituality over materialism. Choose activity over passivity. Exhibit caring and affection. Practice the art of touch. Forgive and be forgiven. Refuse to grow old. Sing and dance. Be thankful. Volunteer. Laugh. Play. And Love." Nothing but net, huh? Rest in peace John Mark Fly.