Arthur Wallace Grafton Jr.

A. Wallace Grafton Jr. died on March 18, 2023; he was 85 years old. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, the former Donna Carrigan, three children, Michael C. Grafton, Carollyn Grafton Brown and Sarah Grafton Mattingly, 8 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Wallace was born in Louisville, KY and grew up in New Orleans Louisiana and Virginia. He graduated from The Virginia Military Institute in 1960 with a BA in History. After serving in the U.S. Army (1st Lt), he graduated from the University of Louisville Law School in 1965 with a JD degree. After graduation he joined his father Arthur W. Grafton Sr at Wyatt, Tarrant and Combs where he practiced law as an associate and partner until his retirement in 1998. His specialty was public finance. He was a member of the Kentucky and Jefferson County bar associations and admitted to practice before the U.S. Federal District Courts of eastern and western Kentucky, the Federal Six Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Tax Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Wallace was active in local bar associations and twice served as on its executive committee. Along with his law partner, Robert Ewald, he founded the Jefferson County Public Defender Corporation and served on its board for twenty years. Active in the law community, he also was very active in the Democratic Polous, he was elected to the Jefferson County electoral committee, served as Ron Mazzoli general election campaign chair in 1976, on Wendell Ford's 1971 campaign committee, Julian Carol's 1975 campaign committee and chaired Paul Patton's LT. Governor campaign in Jefferson County. In 1975 he took a leave of absence from his law firm to serve as a legislator associate to Governor Ford. and chaired the 1984 Merger Committee and served on the 1985 Charter Commission. Along with Bill Martins and Chuck Hassett drafted the 1967 open Housing and Fair Employment ordinances of the City of Louisville.

On the Civic side, he served two terms on the board of Trustees for the University of Louisville and twice elected as its chair. He served on the Board of the Louisville Ballet Company and a term as its chair as well, 10 years on the Board of the Fund for the Arts. He also served a term on the Board of Louisville and Jefferson County and chaired its long-range economic development committee. He was a member of the board of Overseers for 10 years and chaired its visiting committee on the Kent School of Social Work. Lastly, he was a founding investor in Republic Bank and Trust and served on its board of directors for twenty years.

After his retirement, he enjoyed reading (history books), traveling with his wife, children and grandchildren and playing poker at Horseshoe Casino.

As a devoted father and husband, he will be greatly missed. He had an amazing sense of humor and vast knowledge of history and the world in general. He was a devoted public servant to Louisville and Jefferson County.

We love and will miss you dad. Thank you for all you have given us and we are comforted by your peaceful passing and the knowledge you are no longer in pain and you are finally warm.

Sarah, Carollyn and Michael.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.archlheadycralle.com for the Grafton family.