Changes

| predecessor=Dallas Smith​

| predecessor=Dallas Smith​

| successor=Richard Gillette (interim)

| successor=Richard Gillette (interim)

| birth_date =April 2, 1947

| birth_date=April 2, 1947

|birth_place=Amherst, Lamb County, Texas

|birth_place=Amherst, Lamb County, Texas

| death_date=May 26, ​2019 (aged 72)

| death_date=May 26, ​2019 (aged 72)

| death_place= Midland, Texas

| death_place= Midland, Texas

| resting_place=Resthaven Cemetery in Midland​

| resting_place=Resthaven Cemetery in Midland​

| nationality=[[United States|American]] ​

| nationality=[[United States|American]] ​

| party=[[Republican Party |Republican]]​

| party=[[Republican Party |Republican]]​

| spouse=Patsy A. Oaks Painter

| spouse=Patsy A. Oaks Painter

| children=Sandy P. Stewart<br>

| children=Sandy P. Stewart

Jennifer Lynn Painter<br>

Jennifer Lynn Painter<br>

Justin Wayne Painter<br>

Justin Wayne Painter<br>

'''Gary Wayne Painter''' (April 2, 1947 &ndash; May 26,  2019) was the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[sheriff]] of [[Midland]] County, [[Texas]], a position that he held from January 1, 1985, until his sudden death in office midway in his ninth four-year term.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/gary-painter/garymidland|title=Gary W. Painter|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref>

'''Gary Wayne Painter''' (April 2, 1947 &ndash; May 26,  2019) was the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[sheriff]] of [[Midland]] County, [[Texas]], a position that he held from January 1, 1985, until his sudden death in office midway in his ninth four-year term.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/gary-painter/garymidland|title=Gary W. Painter|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref>

==Background==​

==Background==

 

Painter was born in [[rural]] Amherst in Lamb County near Littlefield, Texas, one of two children of  Wayne Vearl Painter (1924-1991), and the former Ella Elizabeth "Beth" Pemberton (1925-2017). His sister, Jane P. Pennington of [[Amarillo]], Texas. He was reared on a [[cotton]] and grain farm in Edmonson in Hale County. north of [[Lubbock]]. In 1965, he graduated from Plainview High School in Plainview in Hale County.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199464781/gary-wayne-painter|title=Gary Wayne Painter|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref> From 1965 to 1966, he attended in Lubbock Draughons Practical Business College,<ref name=painterbio>{{cite web|url=http://www.txdirectory.com/online/person/?id=14743|title=Gary Painter|publisher=txdirectory.com|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref> since known as Daymar Institute. ​

Painter was born in [[rural]] Amherst in Lamb County near Littlefield, Texas, one of two children of  Wayne Vearl Painter (1924-1991), and the former Ella Elizabeth "Beth" Pemberton (1925-2017). His sister, Jane P. Pennington of [[Amarillo]], Texas. He was reared on a [[cotton]] and grain farm in Edmonson in Hale County. north of [[Lubbock]]. In 1965, he graduated from Plainview High School in Plainview, the seat of government of Hale County.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199464781/gary-wayne-painter|title=Gary Wayne Painter|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref> From 1965 to 1966, he attended in Lubbock Draughons Practical Business College,<ref name=painterbio>{{cite web|url=http://www.txdirectory.com/online/person/?id=14743|title=Gary Painter|publisher=txdirectory.com|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref> since known as Daymar Institute. ​

 

On September 1, 1966, Painter enlisted in the [[United States Marine Corps]] and served two tours of duty in the former [[South Vietnam]]. He earned the National Defense Service Medal, the [Presidential Unit Citation, the Vietnam Campaign Medal,  the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and the United States Distinguished Service Medal. He was honorably discharged at the rank of [[sergeant]] on August 31, 1970, after exactly four years of service in the Marines.<ref name=painterbio/>​ Immediately after leaving the military, he  joined the Texas Department of Public Safety as a highway patrol officer.  

On September 1, 1966, Painter enlisted in the [[United States Marine Corps]] and served two tours of duty in the former [[South Vietnam]]. He earned the National Defense Service Medal, the [Presidential Unit Citation, the Vietnam Campaign Medal,  the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and the United States Distinguished Service Medal. He was honorably discharged at the rank of [[sergeant]] on August 31, 1970, after exactly four years of service in the Marines.<ref name=painterbio/>​ Immediately after leaving the military, he  joined the Texas Department of Public Safety as a highway patrol officer.  

Painter and his wife, the former Patsy A. Oaks (born 1949), had five children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/patsy-painter/patsyapainter?valid=true&|title=Patsy A. Painter|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref> A son, Justin Wayne Painter of Splendora in Montgomery County, Texas,<ref name=findagrave/> served in the [[United States Air Force]]. A daughter, Jennifer Lynn Painter, is a public safety dispatcher with the City of Midland. Painter was a  [[Southern Baptist]] and a member and the president from 2003 to 2004 of Lions International.<ref name=painterbio/>​

Painter and his wife, the former Patsy A. Oaks (born 1949), had five children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/patsy-painter/patsyapainter?valid=true&|title=Patsy A. Painter|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=June 26, 2020}}</ref> A son, Justin Wayne Painter of Splendora in Montgomery County, Texas,<ref name=findagrave/> served in the [[United States Air Force]]. A daughter, Jennifer Lynn Painter, is a public safety dispatcher with the City of Midland. Painter was a  [[Southern Baptist]] and a member and the president from 2003 to 2004 of Lions International.<ref name=painterbio/>​

 

==Career==​

==Career==

​

​

In September 1970, immediately after leaving the military, he  joined the Texas Department of Public Safety as a highway patrol officer. He then became a highway patrol officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety. He also worked with the sheriff's offices in Culberson and Presidio counties in southwestern Texas. In Alpine, Texas,  he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in police administration from Sul Ross State University, named for Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (1838-1898), the 19th [[governor]] of Texas. Painter worked too for the Midland Police Department until 1982, when he joined the Midland County sheriff's office. There he was assigned to the detention division and became a criminal investigator and a patrol lieutenant.<ref name=findagrave/>

In September 1970, immediately after leaving the military, he  joined the Texas Department of Public Safety as a highway patrol officer. He then became a highway patrol officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety. He also worked with the sheriff's offices in Culberson and Presidio counties in southwestern Texas. In Alpine, Texas,  he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in police administration from Sul Ross State University, named for Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross (1838-1898), the 19th [[governor]] of Texas. Painter worked too for the Midland Police Department until 1982, when he joined the Midland County sheriff's office. There he was assigned to the detention division and became a criminal investigator and a patrol lieutenant.<ref name=findagrave/>

In 1984, he ran for sheriff Painter but almost missed being placed on the Republican primary ballot in May 1984. As he filed his completed paperwork of candidacy, county party chairman William Toler Shaner (1931-1999), the officer in charge of accepting the material, had left early, closed the office, and was at an [[oil]] field site some 170 miles from Midland. Though Painter got the material to Shaner, with the filing fee, by 8 p.m. on the night of the Friday deadline, his papers were declared invalid because they were not filed by 5 p.m. Painter went to court to get on the ballot; the judge decreed that Painter met all ballot qualifications; the absence of the party chairman made the 5 p.m. deadline impossible to uphold.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://law.justia.com/cases/texas/supreme-court/1984/c-2862-0.html|title=Painter v. Shaner (1984)|publisher=law.justia.com|date=April 4, 1984|accessdate=June 25, 2020}}</ref>

In 1984, he ran for sheriff Painter but almost missed being placed on the Republican primary ballot in May 1984. As he filed his completed paperwork of candidacy, county party chairman William Toler Shaner (1931-1999), the officer in charge of accepting the material, had left early, closed the office, and was at an [[oil]] field site some 170 miles from Midland. Though Painter got the material to Shaner, with the filing fee, by 8 p.m. on the night of the Friday deadline, his papers were declared invalid because they were not filed by 5 p.m. Painter went to court to get on the ballot; the judge decreed that Painter met all ballot qualifications; the absence of the party chairman made the 5 p.m. deadline impossible to uphold.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://law.justia.com/cases/texas/supreme-court/1984/c-2862-0.html|title=Painter v. Shaner (1984)|publisher=law.justia.com|date=April 4, 1984|accessdate=June 25, 2020}}</ref>

In the 2008 Republican [[primary]] election, Painter scored 90.29 percent of the ballots cast over fellow Republican Joe D. Lozano, Sr.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrt.com/top_stories/article_2b37f396-c3d0-5abd-9d0c-5bf802d77a4e.html#ixzz3DX5pJuDB|title=Midland County Sheriff Painter leads off filings for election to public office|publisher='The Midland Reporter-Telegram''|author=Kathleen Thurber|date=November 28, 2011|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref> Lozano had run against Painter in the 2000 [[general election]] as an [[Independent voter|Independent]] and polled 18 percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrt.com/import/article_c8174c54-899a-56cf-ba31-8dd74c9b0375.html|title=Midlanders begin casting early ballots for November 5 election|date=October 21, 2002|publisher=''Midland Reporter-Telegram''|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref>​

In the 2008 Republican [[primary]] election, Painter scored 90.29 percent of the ballots cast over fellow Republican Joe D. Lozano, Sr.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrt.com/top_stories/article_2b37f396-c3d0-5abd-9d0c-5bf802d77a4e.html#ixzz3DX5pJuDB|title=Midland County Sheriff Painter leads off filings for election to public office|publisher='The Midland Reporter-Telegram''|author=Kathleen Thurber|date=November 28, 2011|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref> Eight years earlier, Lozano ran against Painter as an [[Independent voter|Independent]] in the 2000 [[general election]] and polled 18 percent of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrt.com/import/article_c8174c54-899a-56cf-ba31-8dd74c9b0375.html|title=Midlanders begin casting early ballots for November 5 election|date=October 21, 2002|publisher=''Midland Reporter-Telegram''|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref>​

Other opponents who tried to derail Painter on alleged grounds of too much concentration on the war on drugs, ignoring the needs of Midland County, confiscation of drug money, and too many out-of-county arrest ventures were defeated time after time. Painter even managed to sink the re-nomination of a county judge and fellow Republican, Charles Wallis "Bro" Seltzer (born 1948), a Midland oil and [[natural gas]] attorney and reserve Air Force officer.<ref name=lawwestofpecos>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasobserver.org/185-the-law-west-of-the-pecos-for-sixteen-years-gary-painter-has-been-the-states-most-flamboyant-drug-warrior-is-his-star-beginning-to-dim/|title=The Law West of the Pecos|author=Nate Blakeslee|date=December 10, 1999|publisher=''The Texas Observer''|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref>​

Other opponents who tried to derail Painter on alleged grounds of too much concentration on the war on drugs, ignoring the needs of Midland County, confiscation of drug money, and too many out-of-county arrest ventures were defeated time after time. Painter even managed to sink the re-nomination of a county judge and fellow Republican, Charles Wallis "Bro" Seltzer (born 1948), a Midland oil and [[natural gas]] attorney and reserve Air Force officer.<ref name=lawwestofpecos>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasobserver.org/185-the-law-west-of-the-pecos-for-sixteen-years-gary-painter-has-been-the-states-most-flamboyant-drug-warrior-is-his-star-beginning-to-dim/|title=The Law West of the Pecos|author=Nate Blakeslee|date=December 10, 1999|publisher=''The Texas Observer''|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref>​