A fallen deputy's family came together Friday at both his grave site and memorial to honor his memory.
The family of Holmes Smith Sr. was joined by deputies with the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office and officers with the Manning Police Department on Friday morning. The dark clouds in the sky matched the somber mood as law enforcement officers gathered on U.S. 521 where Cub Scouts placed a cross in 2015 celebrated the life of their fallen brother.
Smith was killed Nov. 5, 2014, off U.S. 521 about four miles outside of Manning, after suffering a heart attack while traveling back from Sumter. He was working on a joint operation with Sumter deputies at the time, said Sheriff Randy Garrett.
On Thursday, a day before the two-year anniversary, friends and family gathered first at Green Hill Missionary Baptist Church, where Smith was laid to rest. Afterward, they gathered at the memorial on U.S. 521, a cross placed by a Cub Scout troop in June 2015.
“The cross has his name on it,” said Smith’s widow, Tonia Mallett-Smith. “It was made for the family by Coach Michael Haynes and his agriculture class at Manning High School.”
Mallett-Smith has asked that folks honor her husband’s memory on his birthday by donating to Carolina Concerns of Police Survivors, a statewide group that helps the families of fallen law enforcement officers. To donate, visit www.carolinacops.org.
