News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Longtime Putnam County Commissioner Reggie Shanks passed away Tuesday.
First elected to the county commission in 1969, Shanks served for 48-years. 8th District Commissioner and Baxter Police Chief Danny Holmes said there’s a reason Shanks is the longest serving Putnam County commissioner in history.
“The people believed in Reggie Shanks,” Holmes said. “They knew he was honest and respected what they wanted. He always tried to do the right thing.”
The 85-year-old Shanks also had a long career in local law enforcement, serving some 35-years working for the Cookeville Police Department and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris called Shanks a mentor.
“Unless you knew Reggie on a personal basis, one of the things that he was….was a great storyteller,” Farris said. “Reggie never forgot many things and events that happened throughout his career and he always tried to mentor the the police officers and deputies and he did that by storytelling.”
County Executive Randy Porter said he respected Shank’s straightforward bluntness.
“We didn’t always agree, but we always respected each other and that’s what I liked about Mr. Shanks,” Porter said. “He was a good straight forward man that believed in his values and his opinion and was willing to tell you what those were. I think that’s a virtue that if more people had….our society might be better for it.”
Visitation for Shanks will take place Thursday and Friday at Crest Lawn Funeral Home. His funeral service will take place 3:00 p.m. Friday at the Putnam County Fairgrounds.
