Ceremony scheduled to honor Kentucky’s fallen game wardens

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife to host memorial ceremony May 19

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 12, 2025) — 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 11 a.m. (ET) on May 19, 2025.

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:

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

What: Ceremony honoring Kentucky game wardens who have died in the line of duty since 1912

When: Monday, May 19, 2025, at 11 a.m. (ET)

Where: Kentucky Fallen Officers Memorial on Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s main campus at 1 Sportsman’s Lane in Frankfort. The memorial is located between the large, two-story brick Administration Building and the Salato Wildlife Education Center, about ½ mile north of the campus entrance. The entrance is located off U.S. 60, approximately 1½ miles west of U.S. 127.

For more information, visit the department’s website (fw.ky.gov) or call 1-800-858-1549, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (ET) weekdays, excluding holidays.