Wayne BirdBradley County Chief Deputy Wayne Bird passed away early this morning.
Sheriff Jim Ruth sent out a news release about the death.
Bird's wife Colleen and his children Tish, Sterling and Richard, were at his bedside when he passed away, Ruth said.
"Chief Bird will be greatly missed by his family and friends," Ruth said. "Needless to say, he will also be missed by the men and women of the Bradley County Sheriff's Office... We in Bradley County owe a great deal of gratitude to him for the professional and moral leadership that he brought to his position of chief deputy."
Funeral arrangements are pending at this time.