A Georgia trooper who was featured in “Smokey and the Bandit” died on Friday, the Georgia DPS reports.
Retired Master Trooper Ronnie Gay died on Friday evening, October 21st after serving in Georgia for more than 30 years, WSBTV 2 reports.
Gay acted as a Georgia trooper in “Smokey and the Bandit” in 1977.
“Many of us grew up watching the famous scene of Master Trooper Gay in ‘Smokey and the Bandit,’ which inspired some to become troopers. He taught through his love and laughter of life to be genuine and compassionate to those we serve. This icon will be missed, and we ask that you keep his family in your thoughts as they mourn his passing,” Public Safety officials wrote in a Facebook post.
“Marty and I had the pleasure of meeting him at multiple Georgia State Patrol events and seeing firsthand both his humor and his genuine concern for others,” Gov. Brian Kemp wrote in a Facebook post.
“We know his laughter and spirit will be missed by his loved ones, those who worked alongside him, and his community. Marty, the girls and I will keep his wife, Debra, and their children in our thoughts and prayers in the coming days as they mourn this beloved husband, father, public servant and friend.”
Gay’s cause of death has not been released.