Whayne C. Priest, Jr. died on March 14, 2025, at his home at age 87. He was born on November 13, 1937, in Hartford, KY, to the late Whayne C. Priest and Helen Rubyor Priest. He graduated from Hartford High School where he played basketball and baseball for the Hartford Mustangs and was later named an “Honorary Sorehead” by that city.
Whayne graduated “With High Distinction” from the University of Kentucky, where he was a member of Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Beta Kappa honor societies and Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. He was also a member of Kappa Sigma social fraternity, a University of Kentucky Fellow, and a Life Member of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association.
Whayne graduated second in his class from the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he was elected to The Order of the Coif honor society and served on the Board of Editors of the Kentucky Law Journal. He then spent four years as a Captain in the Judge Advocate General Office at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. In 1965 he relocated to Bowling Green, KY where he worked for a short time as an associate in the law firm of Francis Potter and English, then in private practice before becoming a co-founder of English Lucas Priest and Owsley LLC, where he practiced law before retiring in 2009.
For more than fifty years Whayne tried cases throughout Bowling Green and Warren County and was admitted to practice before the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Kentucky Supreme Court, and U.S Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He was a Fellow of both the Kentucky Bar Association and the American College of Trial Lawyers, serving as chair of the Kentucky Committee and regional director for that organization. He was a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and a member of the American Bar Association, The Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys, The Commercial Law League of America, was past president of the Bowling Green-Warren County Bar Association and served as Chairman of the Kentucky Bench and Bar Editorial Board. In 2021 he received the Natcher Award from the Bowling Green-Warren County Bar Association for High Ethical Standards and a strong devotion to Professional and Civic Responsibility. He also received the prestigious Legacy Award from the University of Kentucky College of Law, recognizing his fifty years in legal practice.
Whayne was an active member of the Bowling Green Warren County Jaycees, being named by that organization as one of five Outstanding Young Men of Kentucky in 1972. He was City Solicitor for Bowling Green for eight years. He was a Kentucky Colonel, a past president of Noon Rotary Club, an active member of XV Literary Club, State Street United Methodist Church, the Audubon Council of Boy Scouts of America, American Legion, Post 0023, Stockland Investment Club, the November 13th Birthday Club, the Green River Boys Canoe Club, and the Saturday Morning “Liars” Club. He served on the Board of Friends of Lost River for ten years, receiving the Spirit of Lost River Volunteer Award in 2003. He served for fifteen years on the board of the Inter-Modal Transportation Authority, Inc (ITA or Transpark) in Warren County, and was instrumental in helping achieve its early success.
Whayne was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many who loved barbecuing pork ribs, tailgating at UK football games, boating on Barren River Lake and spending summer weekends with family and friends on houseboats at SOP Cove. He was a supporter of WKU and an avid Kentucky Wildcat fan.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Nancy Lampson Priest; a daughter, Heather Priest Deaton; two sons, W. Cravens III (Leslie) and Park Lampson Priest (Lana); seven granddaughters, Madison (Zach), Whitney (Caleb) and Sarah Deaton; Brady, Sloane, Ava and Tess Priest; one grandson, Whayne Cravens “Link” Priest IV; a sister, Adrienne “Pixie” McGaw; a sister-in-law, Barbara Nicholls (Harry); a brother-in-law, Jim Lampson (Debbie); a brother-in-law, Doug George; and several nieces and nephews.
The family thanks caregivers Maribeth Williams, Becky Sanford, and from Hospice of Southern Kentucky, Abby Sanders, Denitra Forts, and Lindsey Sila, for their exceptional care for Whayne and untiring patience in guiding us along this journey.
Visitation will be held on Monday, March 24, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, March 25, from 9:00 a.m. until time for the memorial service at 11:00 a.m., all at State Street United Methodist Church. Expressions of sympathy may be made to State Street United Methodist Church General Fund or Hospice of Southern Kentucky.
Arrangements have been entrusted to J.C. Kirby & Son Lovers Lane Chapel.
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