Lawyers and judges are mourning and paying tribute to Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia A. “Connie” Clark, who died Sept. 24 at age 71.

“Justice Clark was a member of the Tennessee judicial family for over 30 years and has mentored hundreds of judges,” Chief Justice Roger A. Page said in the court’s announcement of her passing. “She loved the Tennessee judicial system and has made it better in immeasurable ways. As her colleague for the past five and one-half years, I observed her tremendous work ethic. Her keen mind was surpassed only by her kind and caring heart. She truly tried her best to decide each case based on the applicable law and nothing else. The Supreme Court will not be the same without her.”