Memorial garden to honor fallen Campbell County Deputy

By Aimee Norton

Published: March 17, 2008

“I had no idea how important he was to so many people,” said Peggy Saunders.  Her son, Campbell County Deputy Jason Saunders, died April 3rd of last year, during a police chase.

Peggy Saunders and her husband Dale are overwhelmed, thinking about how many lives their son Jason touched. The Campbell County Sheriff’s Department is making sure his sacrifice isn’t forgotten. Monday afternoon, Sheriff Terry Gaddy showed the Board of Supervisors plans for a memorial garden to honor Jason. It was approved unanimously.

“We would like in years to come for people to still every time you come into the courthouse be able to see a lasting reminder of the sacrifice he made,” said Sheriff Gaddy.

It’s people in Campbell County who have made it possible, by donating more than $4,000 to the memorial fund.

“They loved him a lot but we knew that the type of person he was he got to meet a lot of people,” said Dale Saunders.  “It surprised us at how many people he knew.”

Major Steve Hutcherson has gone over every detail, for Jason’s family and a department that is still grieving.

“For all of us in the department, its been like the loss of a family member,” Major Hutcherson said.  “We’ve gone through the same type of feelings and sense of loss that they have.”

“It’s just like he touched everybody’s life that he came in contact with.  And he was so special and everybody felt that way, not just us, his parents,” said Peggy Saunders.

Work should begin in the next two months. Jason’s parents plan to stop by every now and then to watch as a tribute to their son begins to take shape.