KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) – Former Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler, a longtime law enforcement leader who spent decades serving the people of Knox County and East Tennessee, has died after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer.
According to former Knox County Sheriff’s Office Communications Director Kimberly Glenn, Spangler passed away Thursday after fighting the disease for nearly three years. Spangler publicly announced his pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2024 but continued serving as sheriff while undergoing treatment.
Spangler served as Knox County Sheriff from September 2018 through September 2026, leading one of Tennessee’s largest law enforcement agencies. Before becoming sheriff, he spent decades in law enforcement and public service, earning a reputation as a respected leader, mentor and advocate for deputies and public safety.
Community Leaders Remember Spangler
Current Knox County Sheriff Brent Gibson expressed condolences on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office.
“Sheriff Spangler was a servant. His decades of service left a mark on this agency and the people of Knox County,” Gibson said. “On behalf of myself and the entire Knox County Sheriff’s Office, we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who served alongside him.”
Knox County Mayor Betsy Henderson also paid tribute to Spangler’s legacy.
“Sheriff Tom Spangler dedicated decades of his life to serving and protecting Knox County,” Henderson wrote on social media. “He was a good man, a blessing to this community, and a true public servant. My prayers are with his family and the entire Sheriff’s Office.”
Tributes From Across East Tennessee
Law enforcement agencies across the region remembered Spangler Thursday evening, highlighting both his professional accomplishments and his personal character.
The Knoxville Police Department described Spangler as someone devoted to serving Knox County who left a lasting impact on the community.
Loudon County Sheriff Jimmy Davis remembered him as a strong leader who deeply cared about both his deputies and the people he served.
One of the most heartfelt tributes came from Blount County Sheriff James Berrong, who called Spangler one of his closest friends.
“Sheriff Spangler was one of my closest friends and one of the best men I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing,” Berrong said. “Not only was he a strong leader, he was kind and humble.”
Berrong noted that Spangler served as deputy chief with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office for four years following his first retirement from Knox County, adding that his influence on deputies was both significant and lasting.
“Everyone loved him, and he returned that love in spades,” Berrong said. “The world will not be the same without him in it, but his legacy lives on through his family and through the knowledge and lessons he passed down to his deputies.”
Cocke County Sheriff C.J. Ball also honored Spangler, saying he was always willing to assist neighboring agencies whenever help was needed.
Family Requests Privacy
Glenn, who is serving as the family spokesperson, described Spangler as much more than a law enforcement officer.
“Tom, also affectionately known to many as ‘Spanky,’ was so many things to so many people,” Glenn wrote. “He was Sheriff. A veteran. A public servant. A leader. A mentor. A friend.”
She said those closest to him knew him first and foremost as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle.
Glenn noted that throughout his fight with cancer, Spangler continued serving the community with determination and resilience.
“Through treatments, difficult days, unimaginable loss, and circumstances that would have caused most people to stop, Tom kept showing up. He kept serving. He kept fighting. And he never stopped loving Knox County.”
The family has requested privacy as they grieve. Funeral arrangements will be announced through Mynatt Funeral Home once plans are finalized.
Lasting Legacy
Spangler’s death marks the end of a distinguished law enforcement career that spanned decades and touched countless lives across East Tennessee. Colleagues say his influence will continue through the officers he mentored, the communities he served and the family he loved.
As tributes continue to pour in, many who knew him have echoed the same sentiment shared by Glenn in her statement:
“Rest Easy, Sheriff. Your watch is over.”
Former KCSO Sheriff Tom Spanger (LCSO)
