ONE-ON-ONE - November 2002
Edited by Claude Hammond and Karen Baird
Interviews by Ed Lane and Alan Kirschenbaum

Three We'll Miss
Memorable highlights of Lane Report interviews with Lucille Caudill Little, Robert Stephens and Wallace Wilkinson

This year saw the deaths of three prominent Kentuckians who left their mark on the Commonwealth in numerous ways.

Possibly the best-loved and most gregarious philanthropist in the state was Lucille Caudill Little, who died at the age of 93 earlier this fall. Originally from Rowan County, Little founded the W. Paul & Lucille Caudill Little Foundation, Kentucky’s 9th-largest foundation in terms of total dollars donated. Its projects included millions to benefits the arts and arts education throughout the Commonwealth.

Former Chief Justice Robert F. Stephens began his law career in 1951 as a clerk for the Kentucky Court of Appeals and served in various legal capacities – from private practice to attorney general to chief justice of the Supreme Court, a post to which he was elected in 1982 and held until his retirement in 1999. Stephens served more than 19 years on Kentucky’s Supreme Court and was the author of the historic opinion directing the Kentucky General Assembly to re-create the state primary and secondary education system.

Former Gov. Wallace Wilkinson got his start as a successful businessman selling textbooks to college students. His term as governor saw the institution of the state lottery and the passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act. Always the entrepreneur, Wilkinson’s post-gubernatorial career saw controversy as he founded the eCampus.com online textbook sales company, which collapsed with the downturn in technology stocks in 2001. Bankruptcy and questions about business practices characterized Wilkinson’s later career. Yet he remains one who rose from obscurity and whose thumbprint remains on the Kentucky public education system.

Lucille Caudille Little
(October, 2001 Interview)

Robert F. Stephens
(October, 1999 Interview)

Wallace Wilkinson
(February, 1992 Interview)

Ed G. Lane is chief executive of Lane Consultants Inc. and publisher of The Lane Report.
edlane@lanereport.com

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