Jackie Dean West was born on October 23, 1946 in Herrin to Dean West and Vada Newton. Jack’s father, Dean West, served as Williamson County Sheriff from 1958-1962.
He was a graduate of Marion High School in the class of 1965 along with his sister, Judy, and was on the MHS football team all four years.
Jack was in the United States Navy and served two tours in Vietnam and was a lifetime member of the Marion VFW. Continue reading
Marion Woman Finally Working as Police Officer
Dawn Williams (now, Tondini) can’t remember a time when she didn’t want to be a police officer.
As a baby she loved to dress up in her father’s police hat, and his leather slapstick was her favorite teething ring. When she learned to read, she turned first to her dad’s police training books.
Her ambition became reality recently when the 27 year old was sworn in as the first female patrol officer in the Marion Police Department. She has worked as a dispatcher for the department since April 1992, and was a member of the police auxiliary for 1 ½ years before that. Continue reading
Law enforcement in Marion in the 1920’s, during the heyday of the bootleggers and their gangs, was a chancy job. Our city traffic policeman during those times was John H. Smothers. He and his wife, the former Edna Tippy, lived with their three children, Ralph, Paul and Zella, at 702 South Madison Street. Continue reading
