Emberton Family
The Hon. Tom Emberton Sr. was a retired Chief Judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
Following a four-year tour of duty with the United States Air Force, Emberton enrolled at Western Kentucky University. While at WKU, Emberton became active in a number of University activities. He was named Business Manager of the College Heights Herald, and was elected President of his sophomore and junior classes. He was also elected President of his fraternity, The Thirteeners, which through a change in University policy later became Delta Tau Delta.
Following his studies at WKU, Emberton was accepted to the University of Louisville School of Law in 1959. He continued his willingness to serve in leadership roles throughout law school, serving as President of Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity and President of the Student Bar Association.
Upon admission to the Kentucky Bar in 1962, Emberton began the practice of law in Metcalfe County and was elected County Attorney in 1964, serving until 1967 when he was recruited by newly elected Gov. Louie B. Nunn to serve as Nunn’s Executive Assistant. In 1971 Emberton was nominated as the Republican candidate for Governor of Kentucky, losing in the general election to then Lt. Governor Wendell Ford.
In 1987 Emberton was appointed to the Kentucky Court of Appeals by Gov. Wallace Wilkinson. He was re-elected twice and in 2002 was elected by his fellow judges to the office of Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, a position he held until his retirement. Following his retirement, he continued to serve as Senior Judge for a number of years.
He is also a former member of the WKU Board of Regents, a Past-President of the WKU Alumni Association Board of Directors, and retired from the College Heights Foundation Board of Directors after 22 years of service. Emberton is a recipient of the William H. Natcher Award for Distinguished Service in Government from the Barren River Area Development District, as well as the Jim C. Coleman Community Service Award from the Metcalfe County Chamber of Commerce. In 2007 the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet named the Thomas D. Emberton Bridge in Metcalfe County in his honor.
Emberton passed away on October 20, 2022.
Julia Lee Emberton, 87 of Edmonton, Kentucky passed away on February 27, 2024 at Hospice Home in Glasgow, Kentucky. She was born on March 13, 1936, in Paducah, Kentucky to the late Forrest and Lorene Crutchfield, but lived most of her life in Edmonton, Kentucky following her 1958 graduation from Western Kentucky University.
Her contribution to the community was largely spent serving children; she worked in the Metcalfe County Schools system as a teacher, guidance counselor, and director of the Family Resource Youth Service Center. Intermittently, she served as a psychologist for the community mental health center and as adjunct professor at Western Kentucky University.
She was a sports enthusiast and particularly enjoyed professional football and following players in the International Tennis Federation. Her greatest interest, however, was politics. She was a guiding force in multiple campaigns, with her favorite being that of her husband’s 1971 bid for governor.
The Embertons have two children, Laura Owens (Donnie) and Tom, Jr. (Stephanie) Emberton, five grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.