Hundreds attend memorial service for Sheriff Dever

Nancy Dever, second from left, the widow of Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever, accepts the American flag from Chief Deputy Rod Rothrock, far right, of the Cochise County Sheriffs Office, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012, in Sierra Vista, Ariz. At the memorial for the late sheriff. Nancy Dever is flanked by two of her sons, Kurt Dever, left, and Brendon Dever. (AP Photo/Sierra Vista Herald Review, Mark Levy)

Hundreds of law enforcement personnel and members of the general public attended a memorial service in Sierra Vista for longtime Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever.

The 60-year-old Dever died Sept. 18 in a rollover accident south of Williams as he was driving to a family hunting trip in northern Arizona.

Law-enforcement vehicles, fire trucks and residents on Wednesday lined a 30-mile funeral procession along Highway 90 in honor of Dever.

Dever was first elected sheriff in 1996 and had been running for a fifth term in November.

He was one of Arizona’s four border sheriffs who asked to legally defend the state’s controversial anti-illegal immigration law in federal court.

Dever grew up in the town of St. David. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, six sons and 11 grandchildren.