Valley officials look back on the life of former EMA director Richard Setliff

By Brian M. Boyce

TERRE HAUTE — A lifelong public servant’s passing inspired memories of service from those who knew him.

Retired soldier, police officer and Vigo County Emergency Management Agency director Richard C. Setliff, 77, died Monday in Southwood Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Vigo County Commissioner and retired Terre Haute City Fire Chief Paul Mason said the two worked together often during his 25-year tenure with the department.

“He was just a phone call away for anything we needed,” he said of Setliff’s career with Emergency Management, noting that the agency always had great response time to emergencies.

Born Oct. 8, 1932, to Walter and Helen Burgess Setliff in Terre Haute, he graduated from Wiley High School in 1950 before attending Indiana State University and going on to play baseball in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

His professional baseball days ended when he entered the U.S. Marine Corps for duty in the Korean War, during which he served as an air traffic control instructor, continued to play ball and developed an interest in flying.

Setliff would go on to complete 38 years of military service before retiring a CWO-3 from the Army National Guard.

Between 1964 and 1985, he served as an officer on the Terre Haute City Police Department and eventually executive director of Vigo County’s Emergency Management Agency, for whom he was an instructor in terrorism and chemical warfare at the National Fire Academy in Emmetsburg, Md.

He also was appointed by the governor as an adviser to the U.S. Army in the destruction and removal of VX nerve agent at the Newport Chemical Depot. He retired from Emergency Management in July 2006.

Emergency Management director Dr. Dorene Hojnicki said Setliff dedicated a considerable amount of time to the city and county in his years of service. “He was a good man and we extend our sympathies to his family.”

Vigo County Sheriff Jon Marvel recalled he was a deputy when Setliff was a lieutenant on the police department. He got to know him better over the years as he advanced to chief deputy and Setliff took over the reins of the Emergency Management Agency.

“He did a lot for the community when he was director of that program,” he said, “I’ll miss him. He was a good friend.”

Marvel recalled that Setliff spearheaded the county’s acquisition of a hovercraft for water rescue, a purchase some at the time thought a waste of money. But over time, it proved its usefulness. “Any time there was an emergency on the Wabash River, he was there in a heartbeat,” he said, noting the hovercraft quickly proved itself more than a toy. “Richard saw it as a lifesaving tool and he used it that way.”

The family has requested memorial contributions be made to the Terre Haute Humane Society. Callahan & Hughes Funeral Home is handling arrangements.



Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com

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