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Deputy Sheriff

John Henry Collette

Addison County Sheriff's Department — Middlebury, VT

Illness

End of Watch July 17, 1932

Age 46

The Vigil Panel 64 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Deputy Sheriff John Collette died after suffering a medical emergency while searching a passenger train in Vergennes for a hit-and-run suspect.

He caught the subject hiding in a baggage car and was escorting him into the railroad station when he suddenly collapsed. During the confusion, the prisoner escaped but was captured the following day in Burlington.

Deputy Collette was survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.

Survivors

Deputy Collette was survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VT-A3A47DDD
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Collette served with the Addison County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Middlebury community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Collette.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Addison County Sheriff's Department

Location Middlebury, VT

Platform Identity acso.addison.vt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 17, 1932

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Deputy Sheriff John Henry Collette is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In VT, 4 of 31 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 12.9% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.

At Addison County Sheriff's Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Addison County Sheriff's Department

of 2 officers

50% Illness

VT — Statewide

of 31 officers

12.9% Illness

Nationwide

2,974

of 32,508 officers

9.1% Illness

National Cause Distribution

How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Henry Collette's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How John Henry Collette Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Illness: 47.8 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. John Henry Collette is highlighted in Jul.

Jan

294

Feb

198

Mar

185

Apr

226

May

201

Jun

181

Jul

217

Aug

281

Sep

291

Oct

376

Nov

239

Dec

285

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Addison County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.