At an event attended by family and friends, the Long County Protective Services Auxiliary honored the late sheriff Cecil Nobles and his late wife Peggy at a memorial service Thursday at Station No. 4. Nobles was the longest-serving sheriff in Georgia at the time of his death in 2012, having served 44 years.

Peggy served 40 years as an administrator for the Long County Sheriff’s Office as well.

Bob Heffley, who along with Paul Held organized the event, called the memorial long overdue and said it was a time for celebration.

Those who attended Thursday’s memorial said the Nobles were true public servants. Wayne Dasher, a longtime friend of the family, said the sheriff was a goodhearted man and “one day he was putting them in jail, the next day he was trying to get them out.”

Long County District 1 Commissioner David Richardson called Nobles a fair man who didn’t discriminate.

The Nobles’ sons include Craig, who is currently Long County sheriff, Jimmy, an attorney, and Kenny, a retired captain with the Department of Motor Vehicles compliance division. They spoke at the ceremony as well.

Long County Commission Chairman Mike Riddle said Thursday’s memorial was important.

"Cecil and Peggy Nobles are so deserving of this recognition, Sheriff Nobles was the kind of sheriff who would do anything he could to help you out day or night, and as for Miss Peggy, my wife defined her better than anyone else I ever heard, she would always say, that Miss Peggy always carries herself with such class," Riddle said.