By Patrick Phillips | October 23, 2020 at 8:50 AM EDT - Updated October 23 at 8:57 AM
GREENVILLE, S.C. (WYFF/WCSC) - The funeral for the Greenville County deputy killed in the line of deputy on Tuesday is being held Friday morning.
Services for Sgt. Conley Jumper begin at 9 a.m. at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. The funeral is open to the public with limited seating, and COVID-19 guidelines requiring masks and social distancing will be enforced.
After the funeral, a procession will travel southbound on I-385 to I-26E. From there, the procession will exit on Highway 202 toward Pomaria Cemetery, in Newberry County, for a separate gravesite ceremony.
Jumper died at the hospital after he was dragged in front of oncoming vehicles and hit by an 18-wheeler on Interstate 85 Tuesday afternoon. The situation unfolded during a traffic stop near the White Horse Road exit.
Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said Jumper, 52, served at the sheriff’s office for almost 28 years. Jumper spent his last years on the interdiction team, receiving multiple distinguished service awards and the prestigious Russ Sorrow Award.
Lewis became emotional talking about Jumper during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.
“Everybody loved Jumper as a man of integrity and passion,” Lewis said. “When I say passion, I mean the man was a dedicated lawman. He was truly larger than life, literally and figuratively. At 6-foot-4, he was a gentle giant who always wore a contagious smile.”
Lewis said the record should accurately reflect Jumper’s “uncanny leadership,” and said that from that point on, he would refer to the fallen deputy not as Master Deputy Jumper but Sgt. Jumper.
Lewis’s voice broke and he paused as he announced Jumper’s End of Watch as Oct. 20, 2020.
Jumper was a 1987 graduate of Broome High School. Spartanburg County School District Three spokeswoman Aly Myles said Jumper was a member of the football team, pep club, media club, Key Club and Block B Club as well as a student government representative.
Key Club was an active service club which raised money for several causes and Block B Club was made up of all of the athletes who lettered in a varsity sport. They worked on recognizing and supporting each other’s work as athletes.
"District Three is so sad to hear of Conley’s passing, Myles said. “He was an involved, kindhearted and talented athlete and student. We send our condolences to the Jumper family.”
Jumper was also longtime member of the Greenville County Schools' School Enforcement team.
Dr. W. Burke Royster, superintendent of Greenville County Schools, released the following statement about Jumper:
“On behalf of Greenville County Schools, we want to extend our prayers, sympathy and support to the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Prior to his current assignment, Sgt. Conley Jumper was a longtime member of our School Enforcement team and I was fortunate to know him and consider him a friend. His large physical presence was only a small part of who he was. He was a man who lit up a room with an infectious smile, a great sense of humor, and a passion for service. His ability to connect with people and respect all individuals made him a great deputy. His loss will be felt for a long time both personally and professionally and those of us in GCS grieve together with his family, his brothers and sisters in law enforcement, and the countless individuals who considered him a friend.”
Jumper is survived by his wife, Sara, and daughter, Cat; his parents and his sister, Lewis said.
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