Community mourns wife of Carter County Judge Executive killed in crash

GRAYSON, Ky. (WSAZ) - Black ribbons are placed on the entrances of the Carter County Courthouse, as the community prays for the recovery of Judge Executive Mike Malone and mourns the loss of his wife Rose.

Officials say the couple was travelling on Interstate 64 in a truck Wednesday morning when they went off the road and down an embankment near the Morehead exit.

Rose Malone, 74, was pronounced dead at the scene. Mike Malone was flown to a hospital in Lexington.

Mike Malone is also the owner of Malone Funeral Home in Grayson, where Bob Thomas is the managing partner. Mike was Bob’s best man at his wedding.

“She was as beautiful outside as she was inside,” Thomas said of Rose, who was a retired school teacher. “She loved her family better than anything.”

Malone’s second and final term as judge executive has been winding down as he’s looked forward to retirement. Bob says he’d been eager to doing things he hasn’t had time to do, including travelling and spending more time with his family and wife.

“I guess that kind of shows you how precious life is that in an instant, it can change,” Thomas said. “We can make a lot of plans for tomorrow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to get to fulfill them. I hate that part for him, but people who know him know how strong he is. He went through the loss of a son, the loss of a grandson, and the loss of a brother. They were all very close, and he remained strong and got through it.”

Working at a funeral home, they’re regularly in the position of trying to comfort others after a loss. Now they’re on the other end as many in the community are doing the consoling.

“The outpouring of prayers and concerns has been truly awesome,” Thomas said.

Mike Malone remained in the hospital as of Thursday night.

Copyright 2022 WSAZ. All rights reserved.