Morton J. Holbrook

Morton J. Holbrook, Jr., 91, of Owensboro, died Friday, August 25, 2006, at is home. Born in Whitesville, Ky, he was a son of the late Morton J. and Ida Simpson Holbrook. Mr. Holbrook was a graduate of Whitesville High School, the University of Kentucky, and Harvard University Law School. He then returned to Owensboro to practice law and was appointed as a U.S. Commissioner. A veteran of World War II, he served in the European Theatre with the Third Army, under the command of General George Patton in anti-aircraft and intelligence assignments, receiving the Bronze Star with five battle stars and being discharged as a Major. During his collegiate and military career, he was a proficient and successful boxer. Following the war, he continued practicing law in Owensboro, retiring in 1994 from the firm of Holbrook, Wible, Sullivan, and Mountjoy.

Mr. Holbrook served as a member of a state judicial review committee, attorney for the Daviess County Board of Education, a member of the Kentucky Citizens for Judicial Review, a founding member of the Prichard Committee, a member of the Owensboro Municipal Utilities board, a member of the Governors Post-Secondary Education Nominating Committee, Chairman of the Urban County Charter Commission and was active with the Owensboro-Daviess County Industrial Foundation. Active in the Democratic Party, he served as a local leader and twice as a delegate to the Democratic national convention. His broad interests included music in many forms, especially operatic and symphonic, of which he had an extensive collection. Well versed in the Bible and the writings of William Shakespeare, he used frequently used quotations from both. Mr. Holbrook was a member of First Christian Church, an early and dedicated supporter of the RiverPark Center, and a long time supporter of the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Holbrook had been recognized as the Kentucky Bar Associations outstanding lawyer in 1968, was inducted into the Hall of Distinguished Alumni of the University of Kentucky, and named a Distinguished Kentuckian by Kentucky Educational Television. He had been a joint recipient of Leadership Owensboros William R. and Marilyn F. Young Award for Community Leadership, was presented with Owensboros first Joseph Hamilton Daviess award for extraordinary public service, was an inductee of the Junior Achievement of Owensboro Business Hall of Fame, and a recipient of the American Judicature Societys Herbert Harley Award for his role in designing and implementing the constitutional amendment which modernized the Kentucky court system.. The Morton J. Holbrook, Jr. Judicial Center was named in his honor by the Daviess County Fiscal Court.

Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Margaret Kincheloe Holbrook; his sons, Morton J. Holbrook, III of Paris, France and Allen W. Holbrook of Owensboro; and 6 grandchildren. Preceding him in death were four sisters and two brothers.

Services are at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at First Christian Church, with burial in Elmwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3:00 until 7:00 p.m. Monday at Glenn Funeral Home.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Scholarship Fund of Owensboro Community and Technical College.