Joseph R. Huddleston, former appellate judge, dies at age 74

Joseph Russell Huddleston, 74, of Bowling Green, died July 11, 2011, in Hilton Head, S.C.

The Glasgow native was born Feb 5, 1937. He was an attorney and judge.

He was a 1955 Bowling Green High School graduate. He earned a history degree from Princeton University in 1959. At both schools, he held many offices and received numerous honors. He earned his Juris Doctor in 1962 at the University of Virginia School of Law. He later received his Master of Laws in Judicial Process at UVA in 1997. He was one of 15 attorneys in his family. He returned to Bowling Green to practice law from 1962-1987 with his father and brothers. In 1987, he was appointed and then elected judge of Warren Circuit Court. He served in that position for just more than four years, was elected chief judge and was named by the Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys as Kentucky’s Outstanding Trial Judge. In 1991, Joe was appointed and subsequently elected judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. During that time, he taught American law at the Russian Legal Academy in both Moscow and Starbopol. In 2003, he became senior judge of the state Court of Appeals. After four years in that position, he retired to become an arbitrator and mediator.

He served on boards of numerous businesses and organizations throughout the years, including the Boys and Girls Club, and most recently the Board of South Central Bank. He was a member of The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, Noon Rotary Club, Jaycees and Bowling Green Bar Association. He will be best remembered for his compassion, intellect and the profound effect he had on many. Joe treated everyone with respect, earning him the recognition as “fair, but firm.” He relished debate, was a voracious reader and an avid sailor. He spent hours on his beloved sailboat, Tantalus, both on Barren River and in Hilton Head, S.C. He was the consummate father and grandfather and a devoted husband. He was the son of the late Paul R. Huddleston and Frances Link, who survives. He was preceded in death by a brother, Philip Huddleston; and a sister, Mary Beth Rowe.

Memorial service is at 1 p.m. July 23 at Christ Episcopal Church. Visitation is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. July 22 and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 23 at the church.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head, S.C., or the Boys and Girls Club of Bowling Green.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Heidi Huddleston; three daughters, Johanna Towery and her husband, Gil, Lisa Loague and Kristina Huddleston and her husband, Kurt Koppensteiner; a brother, Lee Huddleston; a sister, Laura Snyder; three grandchildren, Alexandra and Ryan Loague and Sophia Koppensteiner; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.