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He was a 'class act,' according to the man who gave Clay County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Eric Twisdale a Medal of Valor for stopping murder suspects on the run.

And the current Sheriff of Clay County, who has known Twisdale since his early days as a Duval County corrections officer, called him respected and 'very much loved.'

Sheriff Michelle Cook took part in Thursday morning's procession that took Twisdale's body from Baptist Medical Center South, where he died from COVID-19, to a funeral home. Police officers, deputies, an honor guard and medical staff lined the parking lot as a Clay County Fire Rescue unit pulled away with motorcycle escort.

He was 49 and leaves behind a former wife, two daughters and grandchildren, officials said.

More: Clay County Sheriff's Office sergeant dies in 'line of duty, COVID-19-related'

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Twisdale's death comes only days after Cook announced that the virus had invaded the Clay County jail with 156 inmates testing positive as of Monday, a major increase in a population of about 500 that had not one case until a few weeks ago. As she prepared to join the procession to the funeral home, she said her agency's members are 'devastated.'

'This hits hard for them,' Cook said, with emotion in her voice. '... Here's a guy who has done a variety of things during his career, and at each place he had a tremendous impact. And now he's just gone.'

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Retired Sheriff Rick Beseler gave the sergeant that Medal of Valor in 2015 after he used a traffic maneuver to stop a 15-year-old suspect fleeing from a fatal shooting in St. Augustine. He said the late sergeant was 'probably one of the best deputies I had on the street.'

'That was an unbelievable act of bravery and heroism on his part,' Beseler said. '... Eric was one of the guys who was always a leader. He was always the one the other deputies looked up to. When he was out there doing his job, he was deadly serious. I always enjoyed being around him.'

More: 156 inmates, 8 employees in Clay County Jail test positive for COVID-19

The sergeant's death was the second law enforcement officer to die from the virus in Northeast Florida in recent months. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Lt. Chris Cunningham, 48, was a victim of the coronavirus when he died Aug. 5 after serving the community for 20 years. He was also the commanding officer of Jacksonville's crime-scene unit, latent prints and the photo lab, and served in the U.S. Navy, police said.

The Clay County Sheriff's Office announced the sergeant's death late Wednesday, saying it was 'COVID-19-related and in the line of duty.' He was serving as the supervisor of the crime scene unit.

Twisdale first entered law enforcement in the early 1990s with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, then joined Clay County in 1998. He was promoted to sergeant in 2010 and also served as a team leader on the department dive team, honor guard and crisis negotiation team.

Twisdale was the recipient of the Sheriff's Office's Lifesaving Award in 2014 after he saved someone from drowning, according to the agency. The following year he was recognized as Deputy of the Year for 'displaying exceptional valor during the apprehension of two murder suspects.'

The 2015 Medal of Valor came from his heroism and leadership in a high-speed pursuit after two teens shot a clerk during a convenience store robbery, then led law enforcement through St. Johns, Putnam and Clay counties. Beseler said the watch commander gave Twisdale permission to use deadly force, and the chase ended with him forcing the suspects' vehicle to spin out of control and stop on the Governor’s Creek Bridge.

'They ended up being face to face because the car spun around,' Beseler said. 'It was really a brave thing to do knowing you have two people who committed a cold-blooded murder, and he was able to capture them without any injury to himself or the suspects.'

The retired sheriff said he, too, is devastated over the sergeant's passing.

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'The good ones like that seem to always be the ones that have things happen to them,' Beseler said. 'If he didn't feel good, he would come to work and give 110 percent.'

Cook called him 'a great deputy and an even better man' in a social media comment shortly after his death was announced. She remembered him working as a Jacksonville corrections officer when she was in that Sheriff's Office and worked with his brother there as well. She became his new boss when she won election as Clay County's sheriff and took over on Sept. 1.

She said he was a family man and a great co-worker.

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'He was a wonderful father to his kids and a funny guy with a dry sense of humor who loved to talk to his friends and lit up the room,' Cook said. '... He was just a good guy to be around and a great law enforcement officer.'

Cook said they traded text messages and some phone calls when he was hospitalized in recent weeks.

'A few days ago I sent him a message, 'Hey buddy, just checking in on you,' Cook said. 'He didn't respond, and for me, that was sort of the point that I knew it was not looking good.'

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Among many condolences on social media came from the Orange Park Police Department, which posted that Sgt. Twisdale 'was an inspiration to us all.'

'The impact he had on those that knew him or that served with him will never be forgotten,' the department posted.

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Funeral plans are still being made, but will be released as soon as they are done, Cook said.

Dan Scanlan: (904) 359-4549

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Tributes pour in for Clay sheriff's sergeant killed by COVID-19