By Liz Fabian
TELEGRAPH STAFF WRITER
Read more about Deputy Whitehead
Nearly 1,000 people gathered at the City Auditorium Thursday morning to celebrate the life of Joseph Tim “Wali” Whitehead Jr., a Bibb County sheriff’s investigator who was killed in the line of duty last week.
In a 90-minute service peppered with exuberant gospel music, friends and colleagues spoke of a man of integrity and character who even inspired condolences from criminals he put away.
Dawan Abdul-Malik, Whitehead’s friend and brother in the Islamic faith, read from the Quran a passage that spoke of “the protector.” He said Whitehead’s Muslim name, Wali, means “protector” in Arabic.
“If you knew him, you knew he was not afraid,” Abdul-Malik said. “He lived his life knowing that God was with him.”
Abdul-Malik also called on city and county leaders to find a way to honor Whitehead with a permanent memorial.
Among those in attendance were Macon Mayor Jack Ellis and Bibb County Commission Chairman Charlie Bishop. Representatives from law-enforcement agencies across the state were on hand.
After a lengthy funeral procession, Whitehead will be buried at Macon Memorial Park.
Macon Telegraph (http://www.macon.com/)