John Gardner Lile III

John Gardner Lile III was born on April 3, 1938 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He died Tuesday March 30, 2020 just short of his 82nd birthday, after a long illness. He is predeceased by his parents, Ray Louise Wilson Lile and John Gardner Lile Jr. John graduated from Little Rock Central High School (1955), from Hendrix College (B.A. in 1959), and from Duke University (LL.B. in 1962). He made lifelong friends during his four years at Hendrix and enjoyed telling people that he became a better student after he met Pat McGill of Hope in September of his second year, her first. John and Pat married August 25, 1959. Their honeymoon was the drive to Duke Law School in Durham, N.C. where they made many special friends over those three happy years. The one sorrowful time was when their firstborn child, a baby boy, would live only three days due to a then-irreversible heart defect. When determining where to practice law he was powerfully influenced by attorney Louis Ramsay and announced to Pat they were moving to Pine Bluff upon graduation. He accepted a position with the Coleman, Gantt, Ramsay, and Cox Law Firm and practiced law for 28 years in Pine Bluff, 26 of them as a partner with the Ramsay, Cox, Lile, Bridgforth, Gilbert, Harrelson & Starling Law Firm. In 1988 he joined Wright, Lindsey, and Jennings Law Firm in Little Rock. John was named a partner in the WLJ Firm January 1, 1990. He became "of Counsel" January 1, 2011; continuing to work part-time until fully retiring in March of 2015. He loved practicing law with his colleagues and highly valued his partners and associates at both firms over the years. He served as Chair of the Young Lawyers Section of the Arkansas Bar Association 1971-72, as Jefferson County Bar Association President in l973, and on several other committees over five decades. He especially appreciated serving on the Arkansas Bar Law School Committee for several years. He chaired the Arkansas Bar Committee on Professional Ethics which prepared the current Rules of Professional Conduct. He was a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers for decades, as well as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Arkansas Bar Foundation. His professional honors include: Chambers USA 2004-2012, The Best Lawyers in America from 1995-2014, and the Mid-South Super Lawyers from 2006-2014. John, though modest of demeanor, loved being a trial lawyer and making his client's case in court before a judge and/or jury. He specialized in business and commercial litigation, defending railroad and insurance companies among others, as well as in labor and employment matters. Without doubt, he most valued being named in July of 1983 as a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in America. Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. John valued serving on the board of the Southeast Arkansas Mental Health Center in Pine Bluff from 1964 till 1990 with his dear friend and comrade, Pat Brown. He was also on the board of the Southeast Arkansas Arts Center. In Little Rock, he cherished his service for several years on the Arkansas Hospice Foundation board. He appreciated this fine program which served him well in his home the last six months of his life. Although John loved practicing law, he most treasured his wife, Pat; and children, Gar, Gretchen, Jennifer, and Sue; and his home. John had many interests and hobbies especially in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, particularly duck and quail hunting, bird dogs, art, and woodworking. Hobbies he shared with Pat included cooking, traveling, and "wine time." He particularly enjoyed reading the daily newspaper, a variety of magazines and books. John was also active in church. He grew up as a Presbyterian and served as an Elder in First Presbyterian Church, Pine Bluff. In Little Rock, they joined First United Methodist Church in 1991. The pastors provided great comfort during the season of esophageal cancer in 1999 and provided comfort in his most recent illnesses as well. Survivors are his wife of 60 years, Pat McGill Lile, son John Gardner "Gar" Lile IV (wife Teresa) of Benton; daughter Gretchen Bachman (husband David) of Little Rock; Jennifer Owens (husband Patrick) of Guys, Tennessee; and Sue Hendricks (Todd) of Conway. Grandchildren are John "Gardner" Lile V (wife Leah), Garrett Lile (wife Kathleen) all of Little Rock; and Grace Ann Lile of Fort Worth, Texas. Grandsons Spencer and Will Owens of Guys, Tenn. And grandchildren Ty Hendricks (wife Brenda) and great-granddaughter Cora, all of Conway; and Tarra Hendricks Castleberry (Patrick) of Bryant. John is survived by his sister Sue Lile Inman (husband Sam) of Greenville, S.C. He is also survived by many cousins, nieces, and nephews who are loved dearly. He was predeceased by his younger sister, Gini Lile Roland, and her husband, Frank Roland. A memorial service will be held when activities return to some level of normalcy in our city and state. Should anyone wish to make a charitable donation in his memory, we suggest First United Methodist Church (723 Center Street, Little Rock, Ark. 72201), Arkansas Hospice Foundation (14 Parkstone Circle, North Little Rock, Ark. 72116), or Arkansas Community Foundation - John Lile Memorial Fund (5 Allied Drive, Suite #51110, Building 5, 11th Floor, Little Rock, Ark. 72202). Please sign guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.