May, 2025 – Faithful Living® ~
Heaven gained a true Lenawee County hero on April 30, 2025. Sheriff Richard Germond was a loving husband, father, grandfather and a dedicated, faithful community member who truly lived with servant-hearted passion spanning 90 years. This loyal commitment was on display for the entirety of his professional life and this posture spilled abundantly into his community involvement and charitable work as well.
Although he was a longtime [56 year] member of Kiwanis International, the Rotary motto of “Service above Self” fits this gentleman perfectly. I am certain that many Kiwanian and Rotarian friends will find humor in this analogy, but I am confident that no service club member or Lenawee citizen will deny the factual truth of this reality. By most standards and by his example, he certainly placed the interests of the people of Lenawee County above his own.
My Dad remarked several times over the course of his funeral directing career, in saying he was impressed that Richard accomplished much as Sheriff and that he went specifically to college to study law enforcement administration and criminal justice.
The Bible says, if you give your life away in diligently working for the Kingdom of God, you will receive much more in this life and in the world to come. Richard Germond’s work in administrating the 156-bed jail over his 36 years as Sheriff and his 8 years prior in that office, demonstrated a strong resolve together with other law enforcement agencies around the county, in keeping our communities safe.
One of the crowning achievements the Sheriff spearheaded back in the 1980’s was establishing a modernized and state-of-the-art 9-1-1 Central Dispatch Center, that was able to service many police and fire departments in the greater Lenawee area including emergency medical agencies. This service alone through the years has saved and will continue to save numerous lives.
Richard also believed in having quality medical care and was deeply involved in the Bixby/Herrick/ProMedica hospital boards. In various capacities, he provided leadership and guidance over many years.
His continued volunteer work with the Lenawee Intermediate School Board, the Salvation Army Board, the County Board of Canvassers including several other non-profit organizations…further underscoring his willingness to help in making the quality of life better for the citizens of Lenawee County.
His faith community at St. Joseph Catholic Church was also important to him and his family. As an usher and choir member for many years, Richard welcomed and encouraged people in sharing the love of Christ with parishioners every week he was in attendance.
There are many other additions to the list of achievements that he accomplished during his lifetime but space here is limited. Suffice it to say that Richard served with his whole heart.
In the twentieth chapter of Matthew, the apostle records that Jesus came to serve, not to be served. There are many opportunities to serve in the communities where we live. Adopting the proper mindset in purposefully allocating time, resources and attention to worthy causes that matter to you as well as the Kingdom, will pay dividends, both on the giving and receiving sides. The obvious goal is helping humanitarian causes that are worth investing in.
If you have not had the privilege to serve, pause and pray for direction. Adopting the qualities of Christ as we approach valuable and meaningful work is the finest model. How does anyone get in the right frame of mind to serve? Lay your request before the Lord and be confident that the Holy Spirit will lead, guide and direct your path.
“Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.” Philippians 2: 5-8 MSG.
Our Lord allows freedom to make choices. Serving with a grateful heart in thanking Jesus for daily opportunities in sharing the love of Christ to others, is indeed an honor.
“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom.” Galatians 5: 13-14
All of us have been given a true and excellent illustration of this servant hearted gentleman in our friend and neighbor, Sheriff Richard Germond. The characteristics of humility, selflessness, kindness and great love over his life’s work, certainly have emulated well, those of his Savior Christ Jesus.
Well done, Sheriff Germond! Thanks for living a service-centered life and for setting a wonderful example for many to follow.