Funeral services are being held today for a former Kosciusko County Sheriff.

Cassius Alan Rovenstine, age 81, of Atwood, Indiana, passed away on Thursday, October 10.

Rovenstine was a lifelong resident of Atwood.  In 1969, he took a job as a deputy at the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, beginning a career in law enforcement that would span three decades.

In 1974, Rovenstine ran unsuccessfully for the office of Sheriff of Kosciusko County. He tried again in 1978 and was elected by a wide margin, ending two decades of Democratic dominance at the position.. He won a second term in 1982, and then, in 1987, assumed the role of captain under Sheriff Ron Robinson.

He was elected to third and fourth terms as sheriff in 1990 and 1994, becoming the longest serving sheriff in Kosciusko County history.

His tenure in office saw the shuttering of the historic county jail and the construction of a larger, more modern facility, as well as the creation of the Kosciusko County Work Release program.

After leaving office, he served as a consultant for the new jail project and worked as an investigator for the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office.

Rovenstine was also a volunteer for the Atwood Fire Department and served as its chief from 1964 to 1978.

He was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Sagamore of the Wabash, the Chamber of Commerce Government Excellence Award, the Fireman of the Year Award, and the Kosciusko County Republican Hall of Fame.