Carter County, TN – Carter County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Forest Sharpe died surrounded by family and friends on July 24 after a difficult illness.

Lt. Sharpe, 58, started his career with the Carter County Sheriff’s Office as a jailer in 1980, WJHL reported.

He served under six different county sheriffs and in many difference capacities for the department, according to WJHL. He held numerous leadership roles in both patrol and corrections for the sheriff’s office during his 38 years on the department.

“I knew him for a long time, both professionally and as a friend. I will miss him, and so will the Sheriff’s Office,” Sheriff Dexter Lunceford said.

Lt. Sharpe will be remembered for his “gentle nature and deep sense of humor,” the sheriff’s department said.

Retired Carter County Sheriff’s Deputy Rocky Croy was good friends with Lt. Sharpe and said he has many good memories.

“I started in 1983 and Forest was already there at the time. He kind of showed my some ways to do stuff that was a little bit easier, quicker,” Croy said. “Me and him and one of the dispatchers, we were always together.”

He said Lt. Sharpe had a memorable sense of humor.

“He was all the time cutting up. He’d get you out somewhere and try to kid with you a little bit and embarrass you sometimes. He was great. Him and one of the dispatchers, they were all of the time bartering back and forth with each other,” Croy said.

Croy told WJHL his friend should be remembered professionally for his work ethic and fair treatment of people.

“He was always fair to everybody. Even on his down days he wouldn’t transfer out it on the road he was always in a happy-go-lucky mood. He was just one of those guys that was able to do that. And that’s very rare,” he said.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Carter County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Forest Sharpe, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.

Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.