Lumley retires after 40 years of service

After nearly 40 years of service to Thermopolis and Hot Springs County, a very familiar face is celebrating his retirement this week.

John Lumley began working for the Thermopolis Police Department in 1979, working as a dispatcher. By the next year, 1980, he was hired by Sheriff Walt Harvey to work cases with his office until Harvey was defeated in the election of 1982.

Lumley was retained by the winner of that race, DeLoyd Quarbeg, and remained as an investigator for the next eight years.

When Quarberg lost the primary election of 1990, Lumley tossed his name in the hat as an independent candidate as was elected as sheriff, serving the next 12 years, from January, 1991 through January 6, 2003 as the Hot Springs County Sheriff.

"Knowing I was burned out and needing to retire from law enforcement, I was encouraged by members of the County Commission to run for commissioner," he said. "Being elected as a commissioner, I moved from county sheriff down the hall to the commissioner's room and started my 16 years as a commissioner where I will have my final day on January 6, 2019."

His official retirement date in January marks the end of an era. There will be no Lumley serving in Thermopolis or Hot Springs County as there has been since 1956. Lumley's father spent 24 years in the police department, 20 of which were as chief of police.

When asked about his most memorable moments, Lumley said there were several.

"In law enforcement, several cases where knowing I helped someone or stopped someone from hurting a juvenile or anyone from being hurt further was always gratifying," he said. "Working with a lot of child abuse/sexual abuse and elderby abuse cases will burn you out, but the positive is knowing you made a difference in the victim's life.

"We had so many varied cases throughout the years, both as an investigator or sheriff: assaults, thefts, sexual abuse, drugs, homicides, crimes agains the person of both juveniles adults and the elderly, assorted property crimes, just to mention a few.

"I was also grateful to the commissioner's I worked with for our efforts to get the wages up more for the county employees. Something I had knowledge of how it was 'back there in the trenches.' Years we couldn't raise the wage, we always tried not to impact folks by funding the insurance and not passing that increase on to the employee.

"As a commissioner, I also worked with some awesome fellow commissioners like Charlie Stump, Brad Basse, Frank Manning, Mike Baker, Tom Ryan and Phil Scheel, as well as all the other great folks working for our county. A thankless job sometimes, but they all have my appreciation and gratitude."

Apparently retirement isn't going to be just sitting around for Lumley as he said he will be looking for some kind of part time opportunity, here or elsewhere if necessary.

"I do not know what that might entail, but I need to do something – to get out of the house, to stay busy in some way," he said. "I wll also most likely still not be able to say no when asked to volunteer for something, but I am certain Maryjo will have an opinion about whatever I do!"