The sad news spread quickly. Before the sun was up, friends, co-workers and residents were in shock at the sudden death of Adams County Sheriff Ronny Brown.

Our prayers go out to the Brown family as Ronny Brown’s death, like many, came suddenly, too quickly for us to be able to understand the “why” of it all.

Brown seemed perfectly healthy to those who saw him and worked alongside him on Tuesday. But an apparent heart attack — or some other natural cause — took the life of our friend, our co-worker and our sheriff.

With our earthly minds, we struggle to understand why the 60-year-old’s life was cut short. But such decisions aren’t in our hands; a greater power is deciding our fate.

Brown spent his life dedicated to the public, working for more than 20 years for the state corrections department before running for sheriff in 2003.

He was the highest law enforcement authority in the county. He had every right to be too busy to stop and talk to people, too busy to personally deal with problems.

But he was never too busy to help people. Despite all his responsibilities, he remained as affable and approachable as ever.

Friends and co-workers remember Brown’s greatest attribute — the way he treated all people with the same level of care, kindness and respect.

He didn’t care who you were, all people mattered the same.

Brown would be flattered by all of the kind things his friends are saying about him, but he’d probably be a little uncomfortable with all the attention and praise.

If he were here, he’d probably just laugh and say, “I’m just being Ronny.”

That’s why he’ll be so missed.