Community mourns loss of Sumner County Sheriff Roy ‘Sonny’ Weatherford

SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Law enforcement, government officials, and first responders are looking back on the legacy of Sumner County Sheriff Roy “Sonny” Wilson Weatherford III , who dedicated more than four decades to serving his community before his death.

Sumner County shared a statement from the mayor’s office on Facebook on Friday, Aug. 2, saying, in part, “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Sheriff Roy ‘Sonny’ Weatherford. Sheriff Weatherford dedicated his life to the service and protection of our community, embodying the very essence of commitment, bravery, and integrity.”

In addition to numerous posts extending thoughts and prayers to Weatherford’s family and colleagues as they grieve, hundreds of law enforcement partners helped escort Weatherford home from Pigeon Forge Friday evening.

On Saturday, Aug. 3, Weatherford’s family released a statement thanking everyone for their love and support during this difficult time. They announced his funeral will take place at noon on Friday, Aug. 9 at Long Hollow Church in Hendersonville, with Bill Sorrells officiating. Interment will follow at Crestview Memory Gardens, with Sumner County deputies serving as pallbearers. Visitation with the family is set for Thursday, Aug. 8 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., as well as Friday from 11 a.m. until the service begins.

Sumner County Emergency Management Agency Director Ken Weidner recalled Weatherford coming up through the ranks of law enforcement and his commitment to his community.

“Sonny was always himself…He was open and honest and wanted to serve the people of Sumner County,” Weidner told News 2.

According to Weatherford’s obituary , he started his career as an officer with the Portland Police Department in 1983, but then he joined the sheriff’s office in 1985 and eventually became the sheriff in 2010.

Weidner recounted working alongside Weatherford on countless cases, including the Michael Cummins case , which involved the murders of eight people; the nearly dozen people they were able to locate using K9s and drone technology; and more recently, the Sebastian Rogers case .

“The good thing with he and I, we pretty much knew what each other were thinking, and we kind of knew what was on each other’s mind within five minutes of being with each other,” Weidner said.

The two also shared a love of hunting and traveling to multiple states together.

“My boys were raised with him coming to my house, us going to his house. We duck hunted, we dove hunted,” Weidner said.

Weatherford was also a big advocate for children, working to put school resource officers (SROs) in every school and helping give back by assisting in an annual Christmas shopping event for kids.

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Although Sumner County will continue to mourn his loss, Weidner said Weatherford’s legacy will live on every day.

“He’s built an excellent department. The thing we’ve always talked about, he and I talked about, is surround yourself with good people, and he’s done that with his staff, with Chief Craddock, he’s done that. Other than missing him, a little bit of adjustment, the sheriff’s office is going to be fine,” Weidner said.

In lieu of flowers, Weatherford’s family asked that donations be made to Alzheimer’s Tennessee, which Weatherford donated to every year in honor of his mother.

To read a full list of statements posted by Middle Tennessee politicians, law enforcement agencies, and emergency response agencies following Weatherford’s death, click here .

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