Cullen Talton, a former dairy farmer, was elected sheriff in Georgia’s Houston County in November 1972 and reelected a dozen times since.

Houston County Sheriff John Talton has died, according to Gov. Brian Kemp and the sheriff’s office. Kemp said that Talton, who was retiring and was set to be replaced by the winner of the November election this year, was the longest serving sheriff in the United States.

According to the Georgia Republican Party, Talton has served as Houston County’s sheriff since he was first elected in 1972, making him the longest-serving sheriff in the U.S. They say he spent his more than five decades in office raising millions of dollars for the Georgia Sheriff’s Children’s Home.

The nation’s longest-serving sheriff, who served a middle Georgia county for more than 50 years, has died at 92.