Memorial unveiled honoring Chief Deputy Michael Lockhart
BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — It was a day of celebration and remembrance in Benton County as a former chief deputy was honored.
Chief Deputy Michael Lockhart was and still is loved by many people in the community. He unfortunately passed away some time ago, however he will never be forgotten as a sign with his name has been placed on Highway 641.
We were able to speak with a local community leader who told us about who he was.
“But whenever his cousin, Chris Clayton, and I would visit with him, he was most concerned about what was going on at the church, in the community, and with extended family,” said Rev. Adam Kelchner, Pastor at Camden First United Methodist Church. “So you could tell he really had a heart for Camden, for Benton County, and those places where he had served in law enforcement over all those decades.”
We were able to speak with Chief Deputy Lockhart’s mother, Judy Akers, who told us the day was incredibly special to her.
“It is a day that I’ll never forget,” Akers said. “Today is my birthday. To celebrate this with my birthday and to thank this sweet thing to putting it all. I can’t tell her thank you enough. I miss Mike greatly. He was just one of a kind.”
Putting up a sign on the side of the highway takes a lot more work than you may think. Bryanna Beckham, Lockhart’s daughter, is the one who made it all happen. She says it took a lot of talking to a lot of different people.
“It finally got approved through the commission board and then it went on to the state legislature,” Beckham said. “Which was the House of Representatives and the Senate’s office. From that, I was talking to multiple people and gratefully, they had patience with me and were able to answer all of my million questions. That led us to the governor’s signature.”
Beckham says that they will come out on this day each year to put new ribbon onto the sign.
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