Union Parish deputy dies after heart attack while on duty

People in Union Parish are remembering the life of Jerome McKenzie. He was a sergeant for the Union Parish Sheriff's Office, who died Saturday night after suffering a heart attack while on duty.

By all accounts, Jerome McKenzie "never met a stranger" and always kept a funny line or two handy.

McKenzie served Union Parish for more than 40 years. He started as a Farmerville firefighter for more than 20 years before working for Farmerville Police and eventually the Union Parish Sheriff's Office.

UPSO deputy Melissa Bryan says he was a joy to be around. "He was a wonderful deputy,” Bryan says. “He was a wonderful person. Any time he saw someone in need, he would stop and help them. And you always got the same Jerome no matter what was going on."

Bryan says McKenzie treated everyone with respect and was never quick to judge.

"He never treated anyone different no matter what they had done or their status in life," Bryan said. "Everyone was treated the same."

Bryan says McKenzie will be missed by everyone in Union Parish.