Grayson County’s deputy coroner has received the highest honor the Kentucky Coroner’s Association awards.
Deputy Coroner Larry Holeman, on Thursday at the Kentucky Coroner’s Conference in Louisville, became the first Grayson County Deputy Coroner to be named a Master Coroner.
In order to receive the prestigious designation, Holeman received certification from the Department of Criminal Justice Training by completing five core coroner’s courses, including Coroner’s Office Administration and Basic Mass Fatality Planning, in addition to completing at least 300 postmortem examinations. Holeman also fulfilled length of service and continuing education requirements.
Holeman, who many times must notify family members of a death, conducts death investigations and transports bodies to the state Medical Examiner’s Office along with other responsibilities, has been with the Grayson County Coroner’s Office since 2003, when he began transporting bodies to Louisville for autopsy for then-coroner, the late Ronald Hudson.
Grayson County Coroner Joe Brad Hudson, who became coroner in 2006, hired Holeman as deputy coroner in 2007.
“Larry is just a great person,” Joe Brad Hudson said. “He knows how to be compassionate with people. He has been in every facet of death of dying for the longest time. He’s very knowledgeable, and that’s what makes him a great deputy coroner. He knows how to investigate (and) he knows how to conduct himself. He’s very thorough and thoughtful, and makes a great asset to the Coroner’s Office. I am so proud to see him become the first Grayson County Deputy Coroner to receive this prestigious award.”
Ronald Hudson, who served as Grayson County Coroner from 1977 until his death in 2006, attained Advanced Coroner and Master Coroner achievements in 1997. Joe Brad Hudson, Ronald’s son, received his Advanced Coroner designation in 2012 and was named a Master Coroner in 2013.
With Holeman achieving Master Coroner status, Grayson County now has two Master Coroners, a rarity in the state of Kentucky.
(Photo: Grayson Co. Deputy Coroner Larry Holeman, on right, receiving the Master Coroner award from the president of the Kentucky Coroner’s Association, Forrest Hicks)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
