The Christian County Bar Association honored former city attorney Wendell Rorie with a chair featuring a nameplate during a ceremony that proceeded the regular session of Christian County Circuit Court Wednesday morning.
Rorie died three years ago this month of a brief illness at the age of 89.
The Big Rock, Tennessee native moved to southern Christian County in 1936 where he graduated from South Christian High School. He obtained degrees from Murray State College and the Vanderbilt School of Law before moving back to Christian County in 1958 with his wife Janice, twin children, and a $65 used washing machine.
He opened a law practice in downtown Hopkinsville with W.H. Southall and continued in active practice for 57 years, concentrating on civil defense cases.
Local attorney and former Hopkinsville Mayor Dan Kemp remembered Rorie as a great mentor and great attorney.
click to download audioRorie served as Hopkinsville city attorney from 1966 to 1982 under Mayors Alfred Naff, George Atkins, and Al Rutland. He also served as president of the Kentucky Municipal Attorney’s Association and was an active member of the Christian County Bar Association where he served as president in 1970.
Lester Guier, who has practiced law locally for over four decades, also called Rorie a mentor to him.
click to download audioIn 2000 the Kentucky Bar Association recognized Rorie for dedicated public service in promoting the effort to ensure the availability of legal services to all Kentuckians. As president of the Kentucky Lawyers Referral Service in the 1970s he implemented the policy of handling pro-bono cases for those who could not afford a lawyer.
In 2008, the Kentucky Bar Association recognized Rorie for over 50 years of service and awarded him Senior Counselor Status.
Circuit Judge John Atkins said the chair that bears Rorie’s name is an antique chair from the old courthouse and told those attending Wednesday morning’s service that he hoped the dedication was befitting of Rorie’s service.
click to download audioFormer Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton called Rorie “an architect of the legal profession in Kentucky.”
