Funeral Services for Yellowstone County Sheriff Chuck Maxwell, who died last Friday after a fight against cancer, were held in Billings on Wednesday.
Maxwell was remembered by many as a caring public servant who was dedicated to keeping the citizens of Yellowstone County safe.
Undersheriff Jay Bell, who will serve as acting sheriff, told of his decades of service with Chuck. He recalled Maxwell could calm a volatile situation with his demeanor and sense of humor.
He was also remembered by Captain Dennis McCave of the Sheriffs department, attorney Teresa O"Connor, and County Commissioner Bill Kennedy. Kennedy read a statement from Lt. Governor John Bohlinger and Governor Brian Schweitzer.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday for Yellowstone County Sheriff Chuck Maxwell, who died on Friday after battling cancer.
Around 3:00 p.m., as many as 800 law enforcement vehicles will travel from the Metra and head west down 3rd Avenue North. They will then proceed up Broadwater to 19th Street West, then down to Central Avenue, and back to Mountview Cemetery.
Maxwell joined the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Department in 1977. He was appointed sheriff in 1993, and was then elected to the office 4 times, most recently in 2006.
Billings police officers will cover the duties of the sheriff's office during today's funeral.
(from June 29, 2009)
Yellowstone County has lost a longtime and respected leader after Sheriff Chuck Maxwell died Friday night at home with his family.
Maxwell had been battling cancer for nearly three years, before it took his life. Undersheriff Jay Bell will take over as interim Sheriff, and he told us that he admired Maxwell and will always remember him as a great leader and friend.
The Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office was a little quieter this weekend, as employees took in the reality that Sheriff Chuck Maxwell was no longer with them. "He has been one of my best friends for thirty years and of course it's affected me personally and I'm going to miss him, you know he's been like a brother to me all these years. It is like losing a member of my family," said Undersheriff Jay Bell.
Undersheriff Bell will be acting as the Interim Sheriff, until Yellowstone County Commissioners appoint a new Sheriff. About the position Bell said, "Huge shoes to fill for the time being, yes Chuck would be a very hard man to follow, no matter who they appoint to sheriff." Even with this time of sadness, Interim Sheriff Bell says, the office will run at full-speed, "The divisions are still there and everyone knows what their job is and it will continue to function, just without a head of the agency."
Since Sheriff Maxwell was diagnosed with cancer in November of 2006, he has delegated more and more tasks to his right hand man, but Bell says that despite Maxwell's declining health, he was still hands-on, "there wasn't a day that didn't go by that he would not check in with the office just to see if anything was going on to see if there was any concerns."
That work ethic is something Bell has seen in Maxwell for the last nearly 33 years. The two men were hired in the same year, and as Maxwell climbed the ranks, Bell wasn't too far behind. He still remembers when Maxwell asked him to be Undersheriff, "very honored to think that he would to help him in running this office. I didn't realize that it was going to be 16 years that we were going to do this together."
For now his empty office is a reminder of the community's great loss.
Interim Sheriff Bell says Maxwell will be given the traditional law enforcement funeral service this Wednesday at the Metra at two p.m. Roads will be shut down temporarily as the funeral procession takes Maxwell's casket to the Mountview cemetery, where a 21-gun salute will take place. About 1,500 people are expected to attend.
(from June 27, 2009)
The loss of Sheriff Maxwell has been felt by his many colleagues, friends and family on Saturday. Raised in Pennsylvania, Maxwell went to college and then joined the U-S Air Force, which brought him to Miles City and later to Billings. Here's a look back.
January, 15th, 1977 was Deputy Chuck Maxwell's first day on the job for the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office. My "very first night on the job as a deputy, I arrested an armed robber and knew I was home," said Maxwell, laughing in a 2002 interview. "It felt good and it just got better from there."
And it did for Maxwell, who climbed up the ranks from a deputy to the sheriff in 1994. In 2002, Maxwell showed KTVQ a photograph of him back in the day, "If you'll notice, no gray hair." This photo and others show how the years have flown by. "I've had all kinds of wonderful awards and been fortunate enough to meet four United States Presidents while I've been here, but nothing tops being elected sheriff of this county," said Maxwell.
Yellowstone County Commissioner Jim Reno says Maxwell's character and sense of responsibility have always stood out. As a friend, Commissioner Reno says he will always remember the sheriff's sense of style, always dressed with a tie and his playful sense of humor. "He would always make you feel guilty that you didn't come over and have a cup of coffee that day or something. Jim, you never call, you never write and now I won't be able to," said Reno tearfully.
Commissioner Bill Kennedy has proudly served the last 17 years with Sheriff Maxwell. He always had a big smile for everyone and he was determined until his last day to make sure he was still running the sheriff's department in Yellowstone county and I'll tell you, you couldn't ask for more public service out of one man than he gave to this county. Kennedy says the county and the whole state of Montana have became a better place because of him.
The late Sheriff said of his work, "It gives you an awfully good feeling to know that they now feel better about being in their neighborhoods and being in their community." And many will be forever grateful for his service.
Funeral services are tentatively set for next week. Commissioners say once they give Maxwell the proper burial, they will move forward in appointing the next Sheriff of Yellowstone County. The newly appointed sheriff will serve until 2010.
Yellowstone County Sheriff Chuck Maxwell has died after a battle with cancer. Yellowstone County officials say Sheriff Maxwell died Friday night about 10 p.m. at home with family.
In November of 2006, Undersheriff Jay Bell announced that Sheriff Maxwell had cancer and would be undergoing chemotherapy.
Sheriff Maxwell first begin his career with the county on January 15, 1977. That very day, he caught an armed robber. Over the years, he worked his way up through the ranks, eventually becoming Undersheriff in 1987.
Maxwell was elected Sheriff four times: in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006. In 2002, Maxwell told KTVQ that, "nothing tops being elected sheriff of this town."
County officials say Undersheriff Bell will fill in as Sheriff, until the Yellowstone County Commissioners appoint a new Sheriff.
We will continue to bring you more information as this story develops.
