After 26 years with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Tim Hungerford, 50, made the decision on Thursday it was time to retire.

“Today was my last working shift, but my last official day will be the end of January,” he said. “Some people were surprised, but it had been on my radar for a while.”

Hungerford joined the sheriff’s office in November 1994 and instructed DARE – Drug Abuse Resistance Education — for 15 years.

“I had an interest in law enforcement and I grew up here,” he said. “Doing this around people I lived with mattered more to me than going somewhere else.”

His proclivity for education is something Hungerford intends to use in his retirement.

“I am certified to teach, so I think I will do some substitute teaching,” he said. “I might do some part-time law enforcement and see where those careers go over the next five to 10 years.”

The past year has been a challenge for law enforcement in the country, with the defund the police movement and the animosity toward officials. While it was something that Hungerford found aggravating, it was not something he personally experienced.

“”We have good people here and they understand,” he said. “I love my job and I could do it for a few more years, but I am not getting any younger. So, I decided it was time to go.”

Hungerford said one of the advantages of working for the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office is employees are given the option to retire at the age of 50.

Sheriff Steve Hoffman knew Hungerford had been thinking about retirement for a while.

“He was contemplating his exit strategy,” he said. “When you’re in a position like this, with familial connections with coworkers, it adds extra layers.”

Hoffman and Hungerford were partners in the early 90s. Hoffman said they relied on each other through thick and thin. He remembers how passionate Hungerford was in teaching children about the dangers of drugs, and his passion for taking drunk drivers off of the Marshall County roads.

“I am going to miss his laughter and his work ethic,” Hoffman said, remembering.

Now the task arises to fill his shoes and Hungerford has some advice for whomever wants to take it on.

“This is a great career and you need to be proactive in the community and serve the people,” he said. “This is an important job. I enjoyed my time serving as a Marshall County Sheriff’s deputy. It was a great career.”

Hungerford and his wife, Teri, have three children — Ellen, 20, Sam, 13, and Ethan, who passed away at the age of 7.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.