Remembering Sheriff Gene Hermes
by J. Tyler Clark Co-Editor of The Front Porch Magazine, Estate Planning and Probate Attorney in Burleson County, Texas.
In Burleson County, some people become part of the landscape—steady as a live oak, familiar as a courthouse step. Sheriff Gene Edward Hermes was one of those people.
Born April 26, 1966, in Kennedy, Texas, Hermes devoted his adult life to public service. He worked with the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Caldwell Police Department, and eventually the Burleson County Sheriff's Office, where he rose from investigator to sheriff. First elected in March 2020 and re-elected in 2024, Hermes led until his passing on May 31, 2025, at age 59, after a long battle with cancer.
"Gene was a very honest guy—one of the best friends I ever had," remembered former Sheriff Dale Stroud, who worked closely with Hermes. "He just couldn't stand liars. If you weren't truthful, that didn't work with him."
Hermes's honesty wasn't bluster; it was a way of doing the job. He believed the public deserved clear eyes and clean hands. In investigations, he could be all business—"head down, doing it right," as Stroud put it—yet he kept a quiet sense of humor that made long days bearable.
One favorite story from his time as an investigator was the online sting he led, posing as a 16-year-old girl to catch predators. It was gutsy, painstaking work that put him out there on the line, and he did it well because protecting people—especially the vulnerable—was the point.
'The practical challenges of rural law enforcement never changed: fewer deputies than calls, tight budgets, and a community that still expects you to be there when the phone rings. Hermes led through that with calm, insisting on thorough training and crystal-clear re-ports.
As Stroud explained, "What you put in writing is what the grand jury sees. They may never meet you—they meet your report."
Under Hermes, young deputies learned to measure their actions by three touchstones: do what's right, make sure it's legal, and confirm it's ethical. Faith anchored him, too. A member of First Baptist Church, Hermes carried his convictions quietly into the office: fairness with-out favoritism, compassion without compromise. He showed up for people—at scenes, at church, at community events when his health allowed. And he showed up for his team. When the work pressed in, he'd find a private space with Stroud, talk it through, and then shoulder the next hard thing. Leadership, in his view, wasn't noise; it was presence.
Illness became a long chapter—first colon cancer in 2017, then liver cancer beginning in 2022—but it never became his identity. He kept serving, traveling back and forth for treatment, doing what he could as strength allowed. That perseverance wasn't theatrical; it was Gene: steady, grateful for another day to do the work.
Ask around and you'll hear the same themes: he looked like a sheriff—neat hat, pressed shirt—but more importantly, he acted like one. He ran a clean ship. He expected the truth. He loved this county and the people in it.
Sheriff Hermes is survived by his wife, Sherri Hermes, and their daughter, Caylee Nicole Hermes, along with siblings, extended family, and many friends who will miss his quiet nod and firm handshake.
In a time that often rewards the loudest voice, Gene Hermes chose the straightest path. Burleson County is better for it.
From the Editors...
We love and miss you, Sheriff Hermes. Thank you for leaving us a legacy of faith and integrity while making our home of Burleson County a safer place.
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Church Based Scholarships | The Christian Higher Education Foundation
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