Dyersburg State Gazette: Local News: Lake County loses sheriff to cancer (12/22/09)

Danny Louis Tippit

Lake County officials were told Monday morning that Lake County Sheriff Danny Louis Tippit, 57, had succumbed to cancer during the morning hours of Monday, Dec. 21, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Union City. He had been battling cancer for the past five years and would have been up for re-election next year.

Tippit had over 30 years of law enforcement service and prior to becoming sheriff had worked for the cities of Ridgely and Tiptonville, serving as police chief of Tiptonville.

Tippit was respected among his peers as both a man and as sheriff.

"He was probably one of the best around," said Capt. Leonard York of the Lake County Sheriff's Department. "He also had an unusually kind heart for folks."

York is the chief deputy at the department and will likely be tapped as acting sheriff until an interim sheriff can be decided on. The Lake County law enforcement committee has 60 days in which to present an interim to the county commissioners.

York said he would be glad to fill in until an interim can be chosen.

"It was his (Tippit's) choice to make me second in command and I'd like to fulfill his wishes, but that's up to the board," said York.

Lake County Mayor Macie Robertson considered Tippit's death a loss not only to his family, but also for the people of Lake County.

"When you're a small community like this it's like family," said Robertson. "Danny had been in law enforcement all his life and he knew law enforcement."

Robertson said Tippit was a nice person and recalled the sheriff's comical side by the way he called everyone "Bossman".

"He always called everybody that, any of the commissioners, that's what he called them," said Robertson.

THP Trooper Doug Robertson is from Lake County and knew Tippit and his family and said he will be missed. He had gone to see Tippit in the hospital a short time ago and said he was in pretty good spirits.

"He was a good, decent, honest man, both in and out of uniform," said Robertson. "He was top notch in my book. Myself and the Tennessee Highway Patrol send our condolences to the family and they are in out thoughts and prayers."

Services for Tippit will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23, at Wynnburg Baptist Church, with the body being interred at New Haven Cemetery.

Tippit's son, Danny Tippit Jr., is also a Lake County Sheriff's deputy.