Joseph E. “Bo” Loggins

Joseph E. “Bo” Loggins, 90, a Chattooga County attorney and Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Superior Court judge, went home to be with his Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, on July 24, 2019.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Helen Howell Loggins; nieces Terri Maxwell (Allen “Butch”) Eleam of Summerville, GA and Debbie Maxwell (Jeff) King of LaFayette, Georgia, and several great-nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Wheeler Loggins and Addie Mae Williams Loggins; brother, James Leonard Loggins, who was killed in action near the Rhyne River in Germany of March 5, 1945; and a sister, Doris Loggins Maxwell Espy.

“Bo” was born in Trion, Georgia on September 17, 1928. He attended Welcome Hill Elementary School where he arrived early during the winter months of the school year to build fires in a coal and wood burning heater in the two-room school building; graduated from Trion High School where he played football and served as President of the Senior Class; attended the University of Georgia for three and one-half years; and graduated from Woodrow Wilson Law school with L.L.B., L.L.M., and J.D. degrees. On April 10, 1965, “Bo” married Helen Howell. The wedding was held at First Baptist Church, Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia with Dr. A. Edwin Wilson, Executive Secretary of Southern Hebrew Mission and Bible teacher at Chattanooga Bible Institute, performing the marriage ceremony.

“Bo” was sole practitioner of law in Summerville for twenty two years (1957 – 1978). He was a member of the State Bar of Georgia; Chattooga County Bar Association; and Lookout Mountain Bar Association of which he held all offices including that of President.

In November, 1978, “Bo” was appointed Judge of Superior Courts, Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit (Chattooga, Walker, Catoosa and Dade counties), and served for sixteen years (1978 – 1994); served as Chief Judge of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit for eleven years (1983 – 1994); elected and served as Administrative Judge, 7th Judicial Circuit for two years (1990 – 1992); member of Judicial Council of Georgia and Executive Committee for two years (1990 – 1992); and served as a Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court by invitation, 1991. As a Superior Court Judge, “Bo” was obligated to serve on the Superior Court Sentence Review Panel for three month duration at varied times, and completed several terms. Upon retirement in 1994, he became Senior Judge and continued to preside when needed and by invitation throughout the state of Georgia.

While serving as Judge Superior Courts, he attended the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada in 1979; returned to National Judicial College in 1982 for a Specialty Course on Evidence; and again in 1993 attended National Judicial College for a Specialty Course on Alternative Dispute Resolution.

“Bo” served eight years in the Georgia Legislature. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1959 through 1962 and the Georgia Senate from 1963 through 1966. While in the Georgia Senate, he was Chairman of the Rapid Transit Committee that studied and passed legislation in 1965 creating Marta Transit System in Atlanta.

“Bo” was selected to appear in “Outstanding Young Men of America” in 1965; was a delegate on “People to People Tour” (Russia and other European and Asian countries (1965), and addressed, by invitation, the congregation of more than 2,000 at the Moscow Baptist Church.

“Bo” was a member of Summerville First Baptist Church; Summerville-Trion Rotary Club and served as President in 1975 and 1976; and a former member of the Board of Trustees of Walker Technical Foundation (now Georgia Northwestern).

After becoming a Senior Judge and having more leisure time, “Bo” became interested in woodwork, and enrolled in a cabinet making class at Coosa Valley Technical School in Rome. He enjoyed his new hobby so much that he built a shop at his home and equipped it with various saws, sanders, planers, etc. for woodwork.

Since October 2010, “Bo” has devoted most of his time to studying God’s Word. These years have been marked by his dependence on and love for his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. While his life had other accomplishments, the most meaningful and rewarding has been time spent in God’s Word, including the many hours he and Helen worked together on editing and publishing in 2016 a hardback book of Dr. A. Edwin Wilson’s sermons on the book of Revelation, and the great blessings he and Helen received by distributing almost 500 copies of the Revelation book to others.

Services will be held Saturday, July 27, 2019 at 4:00 P.M. at the Summerville First Baptist Church with Brother Paul Mason and Brother Sean Wegener officiating. The family will receive friends from 2:00 – 4:00 P.M. at the church.

Burial will follow in West Hill Cemetery with Allen “Butch” Eleam, Jeff King, Joseph Eleam, Daniel Eleam, Christopher King and Michael Worthington serving as pallbearers.

Honorary Pallbearers are Charlie and Ruth Williams, Gordon and Bernice Little, Ralph and Sylvia Hill, Damon and Annette Cooner, Bobby and Ann Wood, Charles and Sara Graves, Larry and Janet Barkley, Thelma Casey and Ray Casey and Brimp Warren.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Summerville First Baptist Church.