Native of Marion County; born at Hathorn, Mississippi
- Columbia Public Schools
- Mississippi College
- University of Mississippi Law School, J.D.Degree
- Air War College of the Air University, Graduate
- National Judicial College
- 4 years active duty in U. S. Army Corps, World War II, trained as fighter pilot and assigned as pilot instructor and supervisor of flying training
- 27 years active in U. S. Air Force Reserve as pilot and Judge Advocate
- Retired May 1981 in grade of Colonel
January 1948 to January 1979
- January 1979 to date; now Senior Chancellor, State of Mississippi
- Chairman, Chancery Judges Conference 1984 and 1985
- Chancery Conference Delegate of American Bar Association’s Judicial Administration Division and to National Conference of State Trial Judges from 1985 to 1992 and former Member of Executive Committee
- Chairman and member of the Board of Governors of the Mississippi Judicial College since 1991
- Chancery Conference member of Trial Judges Fiscal Committee
- Chancery Conference member, and Past Chairman, of Mississippi Judicial Advisory Study Committee
- Mississippi Children’s Code Commission, member 10 years and Chairman 5 years
- Youth Court Referee, Marion County, 10 years
- Mississippi Penitentiary Board, member and attorney 4 years
- Past Vice-President for Southern Region of Mississippi
- American Cancer Society
- Marion County Jaycee Outstanding Young Man of the year and State finalist 1956
- Citizen of the Year Award, Junior Auxiliary, 1987
- Justice Achievement Award, Mississippi Court Administrators Association, 1995
- Chief Justice Award, Mississippi Supreme Court, 1996
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Mississippi Bar, 1997
- Distinguished Jurist Award, Mississippi State University Pre-Law Society, 2000
- Mississippi Bar Judicial Excellence Award, 2006
- Mason
- 33rd degree Scottish Rite
- York Rite
- Royal Order of Scotland; Shriner
- Past President Marion Shrine Club
- Lions Club since 1948, Past President Columbia Club
- American Legion, Past Post Commander Post No. 90
- Military Officers Association of America, Past President of Magnolia Chapter
Baptist; member Columbia First Baptist, and Men’s Bible Class Teacher 40-plus years.
- Marion County and South Central Bar Associations
- Mississippi Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- American Judicature Society
- National Conference of State Trial Judges
- National College of Probate Judges
- American Judges Association
- Phi Alpha Delta (Honorary Legal Fraternity)