By Kyle Coppola
Retired Sumter County Sheriff Bill Farmer Has Passed Away
Retired Sumter County Sheriff William O. “Bill” Farmer Jr., who dedicated nearly five decades of service to law enforcement in central Florida, has died, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.
“It is with a profound and deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Former Sheriff William O. ‘Bill’ Farmer Jr., who served the citizens of Sumter County with honor and dedication for over 48 years, 28 as our Sumter County Sheriff,” the agency said in a statement.
(Retired Sumter County Sheriff Bill Farmer. Photo Credit – SCSO.)
Sheriff Farmer was remembered as a leader who built his career on integrity, faith, and family, while leaving a lasting mark on the community he served.
“Sheriff Farmer’s family, faith, and outstanding commitment to our community are just a small part of the legacy he leaves behind,” the sheriff’s office says. “He will be remembered for his integrity, kindness, and unwavering commitment to others.”
Colleagues described Sheriff Farmer as a “one of a kind” lawman who will be missed by those who worked alongside him and the many residents who came to know him over the decades.
Funeral and memorial service details will be released once arrangements are finalized, officials said.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
