Judge Dies In House Fire After Getting Wife to Safety

Tom Emberton, a former Kentucky appeals court judge and Republican gubernatorial candidate, died in an early Thursday morning house fire after helping his wife to safety.

Emberton, 90, got his wife safely away from the flames before reentering the burning home. He never made it back out.

“He heroically rescued his wife and got her to safety. Then he went back in to save his home and lost his life,” Edmonton Mayor Doug Smith, who was longtime friends with the former judge, said. “Tom was just the greatest guy in the world to be around. He was infectious to everybody. He had a way about him that was really special.”

Smith said, “The fire was ruled as accidental and my friend’s death was confirmed by Kentucky Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr..”

Emberton and his wife Julia were married 65 years, and shared daughter Laura Emberton Owens and son Tom Emberton Jr.

Emberton unsuccessfully ran for Kentucky governor in 1971 and was appointed to the Court of Appeals in 1987. He was reelected to that position twice and also took on the role of chief judge of the appellate court before retiring in 2004.

“Tom was a model gentleman, a devoted husband, and a wonderful father, grandfather, and great-grandfather,” U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s statement continued. “Our prayers are with Julia Lee, their children Laura and Tom Jr., their five grandchildren, and the entire Emberton family in this difficult time.”

McConnell also shared in his statement that Emberton gave him some early political experience when he tapped him to help with the 1971 gubernatorial campaign, which McConnell called an early taste of the rough and tumble reality of political campaigning.

Emberton, who was also an alum of Western Kentucky University and was inducted into the WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2016, was recognized by many state officials as they shared tributes and extended their thoughts and prayers to his family on Twitter. Peers called him a wonderful man, dedicated public servant, and a true gentleman.