Hundreds gather to honor memory of Cochise sheriff

He was a friend, mentor, patriot and consummate lawman who was known for his cowboy hat and quick wit, a real-life John Wayne or Gary Cooper who spoke with authority and compassion.

Dever was a man who loved to go on long hikes, camp, hunt, play basketball in the yard with his sons and sing lullabies to comfort his grandchildren.

Those were the sentiments shared by law and public safety officials, politicians and family who spoke Wednesday evening to an auditorium packed with fellow sheriffs, law enforcement officers, firefighters and community members who wanted to pay tribute to the sheriff.

Dever died last week after his pickup crashed on a rural road in Northern Arizona. He was on his way to meet his family on a hunting trip. He was 60 and had been sheriff for 16 years.

"He was a firm believer in ethical leadership," Cochise County Deputy Sheriff Rod Rothrock said during the service. "He insisted his staff not only do the right things, but do the right things for the right reasons."

The two-hour public ceremony was held at the Buena High School auditorium in Sierra Vista. Among numerous public officials attending were U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl and Gov. Jan Brewer.

The auditorium, which seats about 1,350, was filled to capacity and some attendees had to watch the service on video screens in an overflow room.

Before the service, a procession of vehicles carrying Dever's family and fellow law enforcement officers made its way along Arizona 90 to the high school. Groups of people, with some holding American flags, could be seen along the highway, mainly in the communities of Whetstone and Huachuca City, as the procession passed.

Several speakers at the ceremony remembered Dever's passion for border security, knowledge of the U.S.-Mexico border, and quiet yet outspoken nature.

"He was both very common and very special," Kyl said. "Larry was a regular guy. He was unpretentious. Yet you would not be here tonight if he were not extraordinary."

Kyl called him a "good guy" who was respected by all and feared by the bad guys.

"He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, everyone listened," he said.

Rothrock said Dever had many notable achievements during his time as sheriff.

Those achievements included the first Cochise County search-and-rescue team, the creation of the sheriff's SWAT team and a multi-agency narcotics unit that seized tons of illegal drugs from criminals.

Dever also helped create the sheriff's assist team, a sheriff's volunteer group, and supported the department's Explorer program for youth, Rothrock said.

"Larry took the duties of his responsibilities seriously," he said.

Rothrock said the Sheriff's Department always finished each fiscal year within its budget under Dever's watch.

Dever's son, Brendon Dever, shared a more personal side of his father, a man who would cook Thanksgiving dinners in a Dutch oven and had expressions that would "put Confucius to shame," he said.

"It was never about the saying, it was the lesson tied to it," Brendon Dever said.

He recalled his father's life lessons, which emphasized toughness, not quitting and giving more than your best.

He remembered a hiking trip in the Chiricahua Mountains when someone asked his father how much longer the hike would last.

His father said "400 yards" about seven or eight times before they made it to camp, his son said.

Brendon Dever ended the service with one last message to his father.

"Dad, if you're still listening, you've made it to camp, you've done your best and it's enough. We'll take it from here, but if you don't mind, throw another log on the fire. We'll be home shortly."

Career highlights

Larry Dever was born and raised in St. David, southeast of Benson.

1976: He began his law-enforcement career as a deputy with the Cochise County Sheriff's Office.

October 1982: Dever, then a sergeant, was one of several sheriff's deputies wounded in a clash with a radical church group at Miracle Valley, near Palominas.

1976 to 1996: Dever rose through the ranks to chief deputy. He retired to run for sheriff.

1996: Elected to his first term as Cochise County sheriff. He had served four terms as sheriff.

Late 1990s to early 2000s: Dever became a proponent for more resources from the state and federal governments to combat the problems caused by crossings of illegal immigrants and drug smugglers that had become a constant in the rural county.

2012: He was running unopposed for his fifth term as sheriff.

On StarNet: Go to azstarnet.com/gallery for more photos of the memorial.

Contact reporter Jamar Younger at jyounger@azstarnet.com or 573-4115.