Former Sheriff Dalton Bray remembered

Mourners gathered at Highpoint Community Church in Middleburg Friday morning, Sept. 23, to celebrate the life of former Clay County Sheriff Dalton Bray, who died on Sept. 13. Bray served as sheriff from 1989 to 1992 after working as an FBI special agent, FDLE supervisor and Orange Park police chief.

Former Florida State University President John Thrasher said during the service that Bray’s election win in 1988 changed the political culture of the county and ultimately made possible the election of Clay County’s first female sheriff 32 years later: Michelle Cook.

“I guarantee you, but that Dalton Bray being elected Sheriff back then, changing the culture of this county, a young woman so gifted like Sheriff Cook would not have been elected in this county,” he said.

Thrasher highlighted Bray’s penchant for eating and talent for cooking, as well as his preferred clothing of shorts, flip flops and Hawaiian shirts. He recalled that after becoming president of FSU, he invited Bray to attend a Seminole football game in the president’s box.  “Before I became president, they had adopted a dress code for the president’s box,” Thrasher recalled, “and it was a hard thing for me to have to tell Dalton he couldn’t wear shorts and flip-flops to the football game.”

Thrasher also said that even though Bray played football at the University of Florida, he graduated from Florida State.

Mike Hailey, the lead pastor at Highpoint Community Church, said Bray and his wife Kathryn were founding members of the congregation. Hailey described the former sheriff as a larger-than-life north Florida version of John Wayne.

“He was selfless,” Hailey said. “He was giving. He was loving. He was honest. He was truly respectful of everyone.”

Hailey added that one of Bray’s legacies is bringing the Police Athletic League to the sheriff’s office.