36 Facts About Ned Breathitt

Ned Breathitt continued to hold appointive offices throughout Combs' tenure, and in 1962, Combs endorsed Breathitt to succeed him as governor.

Ned Breathitt went on to win the general election over Republican Louie B Nunn.

Ned Breathitt continued Combs' work of improving state highways and parks, improving education funding, and strengthening regulations on strip mining.

Ned Breathitt engaged in numerous community service activities and served on political commissions aimed at eliminating poverty.

Ned Breathitt collapsed while making a speech at Lexington Community College on October 10,2003.

Ned Breathitt was admitted to the University of Kentucky Hospital, but remained comatose after the collapse and died four days later.

Ned Breathitt was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, on November 26,1924.

Ned Breathitt was the only child of Edward Thompson Breathitt and Mary Breathitt.

In 1948, Breathitt earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration.

In 1950, Breathitt earned a Bachelor of Laws degree and returned to Hopkinsville where he joined the law firm of Trimble, Soyars, and Breathitt.

In 1951, Ned Breathitt was elected to the first of three consecutive terms in the Kentucky House of Representatives, representing the Ninth District.

Ned Breathitt supported the state's first legislation regulating strip mining, improved registration and election laws, and campaigned for revision of the state constitution.

From 1952 to 1954, Ned Breathitt served as president of the Young Democrats Clubs of Kentucky and as a member of the national committee for the Young Democrats of America.

Ned Breathitt was chair of the state speaker's bureau for Adlai Stevenson's presidential campaign in 1952, and two years later, he worked on the staff of Senator Alben Barkley's re-election campaign.

Ned Breathitt was served as chair of a failed state constitutional convention in 1960 and was a member of the Governor's Commission on Mental Health.

Ned Breathitt further charged that Chandler's son-in-law was collecting campaign donations from individuals who desired favors from state government.

Ned Breathitt won the primary by more than 60,000 votes and carried all but one of the state's congressional districts.

The first legislative session of Ned Breathitt's administration was a disappointment to his faction.

Ned Breathitt's opposition helped prevent the SGA's endorsement of the amendment, since endorsement required a unanimous vote.

Ned Breathitt expanded the state park system and led the state to join the Tennessee Valley Authority in developing the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.

Ned Breathitt proposed a reduction in property tax rates to offset the increase in the assessed value of property, and advocated small increased in other tax rates to benefit public schools.

In 1966, Ned Breathitt was presented with the Lincoln Key Award for his leadership in the bill's passage.

Ned Breathitt was the only state governor named to the President's Council on Human Rights.

Ned Breathitt was a member of National Governors Conference Executive Committee in 1964 and 1965 and chaired its Natural Resources Committee.

Ned Breathitt established the Kentucky Educational Television network and Kentucky's vocational education system.

Ned Breathitt was limited to one term by Kentucky's constitution at the time.

Ned Breathitt returned to his legal practice in Hopkinsville, and in December 1967, became Special Counsel in Kentucky for Southern Railway.

Ned Breathitt served as president of the American Child Centers to promote private preschool education and was appointed as the federal representative on the Southern Interstate Nuclear Board in September 1968.

When Southern Railway became part of Norfolk Southern Corporation in 1972, Ned Breathitt became vice-president for public affairs, a position he held until his retirement in 1992.

Patton's plan prevailed, and he and Ned Breathitt later mended political fences.

In 1992, Breathitt joined the law firm of Wyatt, Tarrant, and Combs.

Ned Breathitt undertook several volunteer community service activities, including serving as director of Home Loan Bank in Cincinnati and chairman of the Kentucky Heart Fund.

Ned Breathitt was appointed to the Southern Region Education Board and the Kentucky Council on Higher Education.

Ned Breathitt received an honorary doctorate from Murray State University in 1994.

Ned Breathitt retired from the practice of law in 2002.

Ned Breathitt was buried at the Riverside Cemetery in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.