COAL GROVE — Gov. Mike DeWine cleared his schedule and visited Lawrence County on Saturday to pay respects to a long-term friend.

The governor attended the funeral services of Ray “Moose” Dutey, which took place at Zoar Baptist Church in Coal Grove.

“They were friends for a long time,” State Rep. Jason Stephens, R-93, who also attended the service, said, noting that the governor showed up as a personal guest of the family and sat for the entire service for the trip, which was not announced prior.

“He was extremely respectful,” Stephens said.

Dutey, a former county auditor, country recorder, Coal Grove mayor and chair of the county’s Republican Party whose political career spanned more than five decades, died Sept. 28, at age 91.