In honor of Kentucky game wardens who have died in the line of duty, the public is invited to join relatives, state officials and representatives from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Kentucky Conservation Officers’ Association for a memorial ceremony at 10 a.m. (CT) on Monday.

The ceremony will be held outdoors at the Kentucky Fallen Officers Memorial on Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s main campus in Frankfort.

Eleven wardens have died in the line of duty since the agency was established in 1912: Elijah Roberts, James R. Claxton, John C. Martin, James Brady McClain, Raymond Birdsong, David T. Childs, Denver Tabor, Robert C. Banker, Bernard Dean Ratliff, Douglas W. Bryant, and William “Tex” Bailey.

A memorial stone has been added to the Kentucky Fallen Officers Memorial for this ceremony to pay tribute to Warden William “Tex” Bailey, who died Nov. 1, 2024, in Barren County after being engaged in basic swimming and water survival training.

Speakers include Commissioner Rich Storm, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; Col. Jeremy McQueary, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement Division; Maj. David Marques, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement Division; Warden Alex Kidd, Kentucky Conservation Officers’ Association.