Endowment established for DeSoto County public safety officers
7/21/05
by Nancy Patterson

Eight DeSoto County public safety officers who died in the line of duty since 1912 will be honored with a named endowment through the Northwest Mississippi Community College Foundation, according to Sybil Canon, director of Development at the college. The announcement of the endowment came July 20 in front of the permanent memorial that has been placed on the courthouse lawn in Hernando.

"Hugh Basinger, who worked for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office for 24 years before moving to DeSoto County, and Lt. Jerald Wheeler of the Southaven Police Department started the effort to honor those who die in the line of duty," expalined Canon. "With the funds that were left after the permanent memorial was established, they have chosen to honor each of these people with a named endowment."

The eight officers who will be memorialized with endowments include: William P. Harris (11-25-12), Robert Dodson (12-16-36), Larry Cox (11-26-70), Rory Welch Key (6-28-74), Larkin V. Pettit (3-8-81), James William Lance Jr. (10-7-88), Bobby L. Wells Jr. (6-27-95), and Gregory Floyd Medlin (11-2-03).

"You have chosen a fitting way to honor the lives of the eight heroic men who have given their lives in the line of duty," said Northwest President Gary Lee Spears, who accepted the check on behalf of the college at the ceremony. "The first is this impressive memorial. And now, you have chosen yet another permanent way to honor the memory of these fine men—endowed scholarships that bear the names of each of these eight heroes. Northwest counts it a privilege to be a part of this tribute to these men and women."

The Northwest Foundation will add matching funds to each endowment, as they become available. The new scholarships will be awarded in the 2006-07 academic year.

They will benefit the children and grandchildren of the slain officers, and if there are none, then to the children and grandchildren of police oficers, deputy sheriffs and firefighters currently on duty.