Sheriff Spearman, who served from 1989 to 1996, was 77

Services are planned a former Haralson County Sheriff on Saturday after he passed away in a local healthcare facility on Tuesday, June 21.

The Haralson County Sheriffs Office announced today that Sheriff Kenneth Palmer Spearman passed away in previous days. He was 77.

The Felton-native was living in Bremen at the time of his death. He had served as the Sheriff of Haralson County after being elected to the office in 1988 from January 1989 until December 1996, putting in two terms in office. Per the announcement from the Sheriff’s Office, he served the county as the 25th Sheriff of Haralson County.

Prior to that, Spearman was a deputy sheriff and a criminal investigator from 1980 to 1988.

After retiring from his position as Sheriff, he went onto serve another 10 years with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

He ultimately came back in 2007 to work as a School Resource Officer for a number of years before enjoying a second retirement in 2013 after serving at Haralson County Middle School.

“Even after his retirement from being an SRO, Sheriff Spearman still came around the Sheriff’s Office where he always had a ready smile and a kind word,” the posting from the HCSO Facebook announcement said. “We ask that you pray for the family of Former Sheriff Kenneth Spearman during this time of loss.”

The son of John Palmer and Cleveadell Jones Spearman, he was born on June 3, 1945 in Felton. He was preceded in death by his parents, along with his brother Donald Spearman, and his sisters Betty Jean Carroll, June Williams and Shirley Addison.

He leaves behind his wife JoAnn Wilson Spearman, and daughter Kimberly Michelle Wallace, along with a grandchild, several sisters, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Family will receive friends at his church, Tallapoosa East Baptist, on Friday afternoon and evening, and services are planned for Saturday, June 25 at the church.

Dr. Mason Bush and Dr. Allen Wilburn are set to officiate the service, and Eddie Mixon will also be speaking. Music will be provided by the Agan Family and Bernard Whitton.

Entombment will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Mausoleum.