BUTLER COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY DIES OF CANCER

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- According to his colleagues, the legacy left behind by Butler County Chief Deputy Joe Raymond is one of professionalism, dedication and devotion to others.

Raymond died of cancer early Wednesday morning at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. He was 52.

"I first met Joe back in the early '80s when he was working for the county highway department," said Sheriff Bill Heaton.

"He was on a backhoe having some citizen giving him a problem," he said.

Heaton, who was a deputy under then-Sheriff Kenneth Link, was called to the scene.

"At that time, I knew Joe was a good man; that was the impression I got about the fellow," Heaton said. The two grew to be close friends.

"If you seen Joe, you seen me and if you seen me, you saw Joe," Heaton said.

Butler County Lt. Rick Sliger said, "Joe was one of the leading forces behind this department. A lot of the ideas we stand for are a direct result of he and the sheriff. He was just a tremendous influence on us."

Sliger described Raymond as a good man and good officer. "He was a good leader and he was a very close and dear friend of mine," Sliger said.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Patrick Baird said, he has offered for the highway patrol to take all the county calls the day of the funeral.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the White-Sanders Funeral Home.