Portrait of former Sheriff Mike Joyce unveiled at courthouse

(The Stokes News) - Local government officials and coworkers of former Stokes County Sheriff Mike Joyce paid tribute to Joyce with speeches as his portrait was unveiled in the courthouse on Saturday, March 10.

Joyce, who had retired in Dec. 2010, passed away in Dec. 2011 after a long battle with leukemia.

The speakers were, from left to right (to photo): former chief deputy Durward Bennett, County Commissioner Ernest Lankford, County Commissioner Leon Inman, former sheriff’s office secretary Mable Booth, portrait framer Arzelle Montgomery, Sheriff Mike Marshall, former deputy Larry Barnes, former county commissioner Buster Robertson, former chief deputy James Joyce and Republican Executive Committee Chair Virginia Smith.