Deputy John Spinney retires from Emery County Sheriff’s Office

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After 23.5 years with the Emery County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy John Spinney is taking off his badge. “I have liked serving the public. The people I have worked with, there’s not a finer group of people anywhere. I would trust them with my life. In this business, you see quite a bit, but there’s always something to surprise you. There’s more to this line of work than most people realize. I am really going to miss everyone.
“I worked construction for 20 years and then at the sheriff’s office for 23 years and now I am ready for retirement. I won’t miss the schedule. Three days on, and then three days off and three nights on. It’s time to enjoy life. We live in Ferron and we plan to take some motorcycle trips. I want to work around home and do some gardening. We’ve been back east on the motorcycles,” said Spinney.
Long time friend and retired co-worker Bill Downard came to the retirement party and told Spinney that he recommends retirement and encouraged Spinney to relax have fun and enjoy.
Spinney said he views retirement as his third career, he was in construction, law enforcement and now the next phase is retirement and spending time with the family. Spinney was a bit surprised by the party thrown in his honor because everyone was involved with the Seeley fire and stretched thin. He figured he would go out quietly, but the sheriff’s office had other plans as they cooked a pork and had a dinner at Huntington Lake for Spinney.
Spinney’s patrol vehicle broke down on his last day on the job and he was in Emery at the time, and limped the car along to the garage in Castle Dale where he was picked up by Sgt. Gayle Jensen.
Sgt. Jensen drove him around a bit and then told him he had a call to the Huntington Lake he had to go on so he brought Spinney to the lake and Spinney saw all the patrol vehicles and knew something was up.
Spinney is very proud of his family. He and his wife Karen have two children, a daughter and a son. His daughter Rakelle lives in Rifle, Colo. and works in Glenwood Springs as a nurse. His son Michael is a store manager in Glenwood Springs.
Spinney enjoyed his time working with Sheriff LaMar Guymon and now with Sheriff Greg Funk. He said he’s enjoyed getting to know Sheriff Funk and he worked with him before when he was at the sheriff’s office and then he went to the highway patrol for a few years. “But, now he’s back and I’ve enjoyed working with him, he is excelling at this job. I’ve really enjoyed my associations with the other deputies. I am getting old and tired of the routine calls, but I am really going to miss the people and the good times I’ve had with all of them. It’s time for me to retire. There are a lot of good young officers coming up. I am really going to miss serving and being an officer,” said Spinney.
Sgt. Les Wilberg told everyone of Spinney’s work ethic and how he worked hard every shift.
Sheriff Funk said they are really going to miss Spinney and he thanked him for his many years of service and hard work.