Friends, family remember Judge Henry Wilhoit

Sep. 13—GRAYSON — Retired U.S. District Court Judge Henry R. Wilhoit died Monday, according to his son, Will Wilhoit. He was 87.

An Ashland native, Wilhoit received a bachelor of laws from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1960. He was in private practice in Grayson from 1960 to 1981, serving as the city attorney for Grayson from 1962 to 1966, and was the county attorney of Carter County from 1966 to 1970.

Wilhoit was nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, serving as Chief Judge from 1998 to 2000 and assuming senior status on Dec. 31, 2000. He was the fourth generation of a family that has practiced law for six generations, starting in 1867, when his great-grandfather opened his office in Grayson.

Son Will Wilhoit called him his hero and best friend.

"I will miss seeing him sitting in his chair at home where, over the last few decades, we discussed life," he said. "He was an icon to many. He was a giant in my eyes."

He said his father inspired family members to pursue law as a career just by being himself.

"He was larger than life and you just wanted to be around him and he just he was a role model to everyone," he said. "When I started practicing law we talked a couple of times a day. As time went on, if he didn't talk to me for a couple of days, he'd call and tell me he'd seen my picture on a milk carton."

Kentucky Sen. Robin L. Webb said her family and the Wilhoits have been friends for generations.

"He was an icon. For different reasons, he put Grayson on the map," she said. "When he was appointed federal judge and after such a family legacy, that means a lot to all of us in eastern Kentucky."

Webb said Wilhoit was objective, honest and thorough and took his duties very seriously, second only to the priority he gave to his family and faith.

"He achieved the pinnacle in his field and nobody wore it better than he did," Webb said. "He was a brilliant jurist and had a way of making people to their job and get justice, and that's what we all aspire to."

Will Wilhoit said he was proud of his father for his knowledge of the law and his commitment to ethics.

"He commanded the courtroom. You didn't do anything without his permission," he said. "His ethical standard was avoiding the appearance of impropriety. It was of the upmost concern for him. He was fair to everyone who came to court."

He said his father remained sharp of mind and witty throughout his later years and he loved to sing, displaying his operatic voice in local productions of Handel's "Messiah."

Boyd Circuit Judge C. David Hagerman was a professional and personal friend of Wilhoit, and said he can't say enough good about him.

"He was one of the greatest men in the history of eastern Kentucky," Hagerman said. "This is a man who not only was a successful attorney in private practice, he was once president of the Kentucky Bar Association. I don't think a lot of people realize how difficult and how special that is. In my profession, you've hit the top of the heap when you've done that."

Hagerman said he was a great judge to try a case with.

"When I became a judge, he was the kind of judge I wanted to be like," he continued. "Very fair and intellectually, just brilliant. I don't know what his IQ was, but it was probably off the scale."

Hagerman said he was a great writer and if he hadn't gone into law, he could have been a successful novelist.

"I couldn't wait to read his orders because hew as such a great writer," Hagerman said.

"I loved him. I can't tell you how lucky we were to have him around here on the federal bench. He was a credit to our profession."

Rocky Adkins, senior adviser to Gov. Andy Beshear and longtime friend of Wilhoit, said he had great respect for the judge.

"He always stood tall for our eastern Kentucky families and encouraged me to do the same," Adkins said. "Judge Wilhoit was a good man and a great friend who lit up every room with his smile and humor. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on with all those he made an impact on, including myself."

Wilhoit is survived by his wife, Jane Horton, who was his childhood sweetheart, meeting him when she was 3 and he was 4. In addition to Will Wilhoit, his children, all of whom are lawyers, are Rupert and Mary.

Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday at Grayson First Church of Christ.

(606) 326-2661 — lward@dailyindependent.com