ST. MARY PARISH - Hundreds of people gathered inside the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium Thursday to say their final goodbye to Saint Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith.

Smith, who took office in 2018 after retiring from being chief of the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department, died on Saturday at the age of 75 due to an undisclosed illness.

Immediately following Smith's death, his chief deputy and Sheriff-Elect Gary Driskell was sworn in. Driskell opened up on what Smith meant to him.

"He was a father figure, a mentor, and all-in-all a good guy," Driskell said. "He'll be missed. He was loved by everyone. It's a sad day."

Outside, his old unit, a Ford Crown Victoria, was parked. Smith chose to drive the older car while he bought new units for his deputies, which represented how he treated people he worked with.

"He's always been there to support us, he always wants our ideas, he doesn't want it to be just him, but he wants us to think on our own," Driskell said. "We were able to improve the sheriff's office all the way around."

Smith was also well known as Santa sheriff because every winter, Smith would grow out his beard and put on a different hat.

"He'd come out with the bears when deputies would go out to situations where there would be kids," Driskell said. "Anything to comfort kids and put a smile on his face, he was 100% on board with."