Nacogdoches commissioners receive donations for memorial highway signs honoring fallen law enforcement officers

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - The Nacogdoches community is giving back to honor law enforcement. On Wednesday morning, county commissioners accepted donations for signs dedicating highways to three fallen officers. County Judge Greg Sowell says with the help of funds provided by the community, signs honoring these men will mark highways coming through Nacogdoches county.

“There has been an overwhelming amount of support of donations to put these signs up, because they’re roughly four thousand dollars for each sign, and that’s for the highway department to be able to maintain them,” Sowell said.

U.S. highway 59 will be named after constable Darrell Lunsford, who was killed after pulling over drug traffickers. Parts of state highways 21 and 259 will be dedicated to Sergeant Tom Sitton and deputy Bradley Jimmerson, the latest of the fallen officers in Nacogdoches County.

“It’s great that we can get these signs erected to honor these fallen officers,” Commissioner Jerry Don Williamson said.

Community members made several contributions for the signs, but commissioners say it was the Charles and Lois Marie Bright Foundation that helped them reach their goal.

“We raised half the money by other donations and they covered the other half, and we thank the Bright foundation for the contribution that made it possible for us to obtain these highway memorial signs,” Nacogdoches Chief Deputy Jay Smith said.

“We’re very grateful for that, and I know the families of these officers are grateful to that,” Sowell said.

It’s been almost a year in the making trying to dedicate these highways, and soon they will be officially marked to remind travelers of those that died serving Nacogdoches county.

”As soon as we have all three of them up, and they’re dedicated, and they’re where you see them when you drive down the road, then we’ll be satisfied," Sowell said. “These officers need to be honored, they need to be remembered, and that’s our intention.”

Commissioners say they have reviewed the designs for the signs and will be sending funds to TxDOT. They believe the signs could be up in just a few months.

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