PICKAWAY – Pickaway County Sheriff Dwight Radcliff’s funeral will be non-traditional but will still show the respects that a Sheriff of 48 years deserves.
Former Pickaway Sheriff Dwight Radcliff passed from this life on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, at OhioHealth Berger Hospital. He was born September 14, 1932, in Circleville to Charles and Sadie Radcliff. He served as the 37th Sheriff of Pickaway County from 1965 until his retirement in 2013. At the time of his retirement, he was the longest-serving sheriff in the United States having served 12 consecutive terms (48 years). He is a second-generation sheriff having served as a deputy sheriff for his father for seven- and one-half years, serving a career total of 55 ½ years in law enforcement.
The Sheriff who stepped down in 2012 only to have his son Robert Radcliff win his seat in the election. Now the standing Sheriff has to wear many hats, one of the son and morn for his father and the standing Sheriff that must honor the former Sheriff. The Sheriff says this is the same position that his father had when his grandfather passed away.
Robbie told Sciotopost that there will be public calling hours from noon to 6 pm at the Maxwell center at Ohio Christian University located at 1476 Lancaster Pike in Circleville. Masks will be required at the viewing, social distancing restrictions will be in place, and sadly the Sheriff, his mother and family will not greet people as traditional due to COVID-19 orders.
“The public is welcome to come and pay their respects to my father, but please conform to social distancing requirements and wear a mask. This is what my father would want,” said the Sheriff.
On Wednesday a private funeral will be held a noon at the Maxwell center followed by a funeral procession that again is non-traditional.
Sheriffs from all over the state will gather with distance in the Big Lots parking lot and salute in honor to former Sheriff Dwight as he passes by. The procession will then go east on Main from Lancaster pike where the road will be shut down from local traffic. The procession will pause at the former Sheriffs home located at 121 West Franklin street, then head to the Forest cemetery on Scioto street where they will enter the cemetery. Only select people will be allowed to enter the cemetery due to the limited room and COVID-19 restrictions.
During the funeral they will have a traditional burial with gun salutes, helicopter fly over, bagpipes, riderless horse, and taps bugler.
The Sheriff Robbie acting as the Sheriff of Pickaway County will have the duty of handing the folded flag to his mother, in a very similar way as his father acting as sheriff did for his grandfather.
Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Sheriff Radcliff to the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Reserve Unit and online condolences can be made at www.wellmanfuneralhomes.com.
The Radcliff family will have a celebration of life on a future date when orders are lifted.
