SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of its longtime chaplain.
“It is with heavy hearts that our SCSO family announces the passing of longtime Chaplain Eugene Gregory, Jr., better known to us as Gene,” the agency announced on social media.
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Gregory Jr. was the son of fallen SCSO Deputy Sheriff Eugene “Stetson” Gregory and began serving as a chaplain with the agency after his father was shot and killed in the line of duty in 1998.
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Since then, the entire Gregory family has remained closely connected with the organization and has served the community.
According to the sheriff’s office, Eugene Gregory Sr.’s wife, Linda Gregory — who died in 2023 — pushed for legal changes allowing law enforcement to take a more proactive approach toward people with mental health issues.
The family also started the Eugene Gregory Memorial Youth Academy and Consequence Unit in Seminole County Public Schools. The alternative program helps students transition from residential juvenile justice commitment programs back into the community.
In February, Gregory, Jr. attended a ceremony as a section of State Road 46 through Geneva was dedicated in his father’s honor.
Recently, Gregory Jr. served as the keynote speaker at the 2024 Seminole County Law Enforcement Memorial.
“He was the embodiment of ‘faith, family, and community’ always steadfast in his convictions and offering support to countless SCSO members through both personal and professional challenges.”
Details on the cause of death have not been released.
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