Tom and Julia Lee Emberton Scholarship Fund

The Hon. Tom Emberton Sr. is 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.  He is survived by the former Julia Lee Crutchfield, who has three degrees from WKU.  They have two children, Laura and Tom Jr., both of whom have degrees from WKU and have followed in their father's footsteps with service to the Commonwealth of Kentucky.