DELTA — A town said goodbye Monday to one of its own who died while serving and protecting the place where she grew up.
The turnout for Millard County sheriff's deputy Josie Greathouse Fox's funeral was, according to some veteran officers, the largest they had ever seen for a law enforcement funeral in Utah.
Approximately 1,000 law enforcers from just about every department in the state as well as officers from Arizona, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Nevada gathered in Delta to say goodbye.
The new Delta LDS Stake Center was standing room only — in every room, even the hallways. The stake center became so crowded that the overflow area had to be switched to an entirely different building, the Delta LDS 1st Ward meetinghouse.
Nearly 100 motorcycles led the funeral procession from the church to the Delta City Cemetery, where the small-town girl was buried. The line of officers was so long it took nearly an hour to move everyone to the grave site dedication.
"It's overwhelming, the support they've got for Josie right now," said Iron County sheriff's deputy Ron Skeem.
"When one of ours does pay the ultimate sacrifice, we need to support her," added St. George Police Sgt. Craig Harding.
Millard County Sheriff Robert Dekker was overwhelmed by the tremendous tribute Josie received.
"It's a trying day for law enforcement in the state, and especially in our community," Dekker said. "I am just in awe of the number of law enforcement people who have come."
The deputy was shot and killed Jan. 5 after pulling over a vehicle on U.S. 50 just outside of town. Her gun was still in its holster when she was found, leading some to speculate she was attacked without warning.
By all accounts, Josie was a person whom everyone in town knew and everyone liked, even those whom she arrested.
Her friends and former bosses fondly remembered her as a "wild child" growing up in town. She became familiar with many members of the sheriff's office before getting into law enforcement, former Millard County Sheriff Ed Phillips joked.
"She was seen in the principal's office so often some thought she was an employee," he said.
But Josie had a good heart. She would always help out others, and if anyone were to say bad things or cross any member of her family, she would jump to their defense, recalled sister Sandi Greathouse Ables.
"I felt sorry for anyone who didn't say anything nice about our family," she said.
Ables recalled a time when Josie grabbed a girl by the pigtails after the girl had said something bad about her family in the back of the school bus. She dragged the girl to the front and dropped her off outside the door.
Josie could do about anything, her sister recalled, from welding to motocross, scuba diving, hunting and fishing. She loved everything from tattoos to Neil Diamond and Lawrence Welk, her sister recalled.
One of her favorite activities was karaoke, with "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett and "Crazy" by Patsy Cline among her favorites.
Most recently, Josie had mastered a new talent — Internet shopping, Ables said lovingly. Even if she didn't need an item, Josie would not be outbid. That's how she ended up with questionable purchases such as a cotton candy machine, her sister said.
Despite her loving nature, Josie also was known as the "queen of shock." She wasn't afraid to say whatever was on her mind.
"Her comebacks were priceless," Ables said. "Heaven must have needed someone to liven it up."
Even Dekker said Josie was about the only person who could make her male co-workers blush.
Several people recalled the story of how Josie said she would never give a ticket to an ugly person because it was the only break they'd get in life.
It was because of Josie's honesty, work ethic and good heart that when Phillips came up with a plan to hire the first female patrol deputy in Millard County, he already knew whom he had in mind — Josie.
"She had a great pedigree in the spirit of a mustang," he said.
He convinced her to go through the academy. Because of her wild child past and previous drug use, it took Josie a little longer to get into the academy. But Josie made a promise to Phillips that things would work out if he would trust her. She couldn't change her past, but she could move forward, he said.
Once Josie was eligible to get into the academy, she excelled. Soon, she became the first — and for a while the only — female patrol officer in Millard County.
"I know many in the community questioned my judgment," Phillips said. But based on his observation of Josie's service, "I had made a really good decision."
Monday, Phillips had to wipe away tears as he talked about his former deputy.
"I don't know a greater honor than when (the family) sought me out and asked me to say a few words," he told the congregation. "I am so proud of Josie and so honored to be her friend."
As a deputy, Josie worked her full-time job, and then she put in so much time volunteering and doing things on her own that it was like she was working a second job, Dekker said. It wasn't uncommon for Josie to use her own money to buy shoes, coats or food for people who needed those items.
"Law enforcement can be performed with compassion sometimes. She taught us that," Dekker said.
Josie was always happy and always had a smile on her face because she loved her job so much, recalled her co-workers.
The difference was that Josie was a "true believer" that she was making a difference, Dekker said. "I don't think Josie ever felt she met a bad person."
Josie was never afraid or uncomfortable with any situation, the sheriff said. For almost every deputy, if they could pick whom they'd want to back them up, it would be Josie.
As an example of what a good officer she was, Dekker recalled one time the city had a serious tagging problem. Within three hours of being assigned the case, Josie not only had it solved but had those responsible out cleaning up the graffiti.
That's why anytime a sheriff's deputy is shot, "it's an attack on our community, on our way of life," he said.
Josie also spent a lot of time working with the town's youths. Monday, in addition to the sea of law enforcers, many members of the community, both young and old, attended the graveside dedication to pay their final respects.
Along 350 East leading to the cemetery, firefighters joined residents in forming a solid line of American flags. The procession passed under a large American flag at the end of the street hung by a crane. American flags also stretched across the entire south side of the cemetery entrance.
Following the playing of taps and "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes, a last call was made over the police radio honoring Josie. Three helicopters then flew in low formation over the grave site with the Utah Highway Patrol chopper breaking off at the end and flying away in missing man formation, signifying the loss of Josie.
A color guard folded the American flag draped over her coffin, and Phillips presented it to her husband, Douglas Brian Fox, whom her friends say she often referred to as "the perfect man."
In one of the most emotional moments of the ceremony, Douglas Brian Fox accepted the flag and then broke down crying on Dekker's shoulder as he gave him a hug.
A second flag was presented to Josie's father, Russell Greathouse, who also hugged Dekker and cried.
Josie is survived by two children, son Spencer and daughter Hunter, of Delta; and two step-children, Brian and Katrina Fox, of Grand Junction.
At the Delta City Park, a makeshift memorial was established where people can light a candle in memory of Josie.
"Someday soon, those candles will burn out," Dekker said. But the light (Josie) gives us will never grow dim."
e-mail: preavy@desnews.com