Jefferson Davis County is mourning the loss of a longtime county servant, Jefferson Davis County Sherriff’s Investigator John Wayne Tolar. Tolar died early Sunday morning at The Grove in Columbia after a brief illness.

Tolar has been an investigator with the JDC Sheriff’s Department since 2012. He was hired by current Jefferson Davis County Sheriff Ron Strickland when he began his tenure.

“John Wayne was a dedicated and faithful employee,” said Strickland. “He enjoyed his job and was always ready to serve. He will be greatly missed.”

Tolar also served Jefferson Davis County as Constable for four terms from 1980 until 1996.

He worked for the Columbia Police Department as patrolman for several decades and in 2009, the Columbia Board of Aldermen named Tolar the interim police chief. He served in that position for five months before retiring from the Columbia Police Department in November 2010.

Arrangements for Tolar are incomplete at this time.