Amanda Pevey
Elmore Autauga News
When David Bagley arrived in Autauga County less than three years ago, he quickly became much more than the county’s emergency management director. He became a trusted partner to first responders, a steady presence during emergencies and, to those who knew him best, a humble servant whose greatest purpose was simply helping others.
Bagley, who served as director of the Autauga County Emergency Management Agency since October 2023, died July 3 after a battle with lung cancer. He was 61.
His time in Autauga County may have been brief, but the impact he left on the community, its first responders and the people he loved will be felt for years to come.
Originally from Missouri, Bagley began his professional career in Texas, where he built a successful business in logistics and web design during the 1990s and early 2000s. But after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, his priorities shifted.
He became a volunteer firefighter, and through those experiences, along with responding after Hurricane Ike, discovered a passion for emergency management that would ultimately define the next chapter of his life.
While completing his bachelor’s degree in public administration and political science with a minor in social science during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bagley accepted the opportunity to lead Autauga County EMA. He and his wife, Keri, left Dothan and moved to Prattville, excited to begin a new chapter closer to the work he loved.
For Keri Bagley, however, David’s greatest accomplishments had little to do with his career.
“He was truly one of the smartest people I’ve ever met,” she said. “He had so much honor, integrity and an incredible work ethic. But more than anything, he was a wonderful family man.”
She smiled as she remembered the grandfather who never missed an opportunity to spoil his grandchildren.
“He loved those grandkids,” she said. “Oh, my goodness, he spoiled them rotten.”
But David also wanted them to understand that kindness and service were just as important as love.
Keri recalled how they would buy shelf-stable meals together and take the grandchildren to fill neighborhood blessing boxes throughout the community.
“He wanted to teach them that it was important to give back,” she said. “It was important to do the right thing by others.”
That lesson had been passed down to him long before he ever entered public service.
Growing up in Missouri, David watched his father devote himself to helping others, a value that shaped the entire family.
“His father was very involved in their community,” Keri said. “That is what David grew up learning. That is how he and his siblings were raised. You take care of your community. That is just what you do.”
Helping people was not something David turned on when he arrived at work each morning. It was simply who he was.
Keri shared one memory that perfectly captured her husband’s character.
During an Easter trip several years ago, the family was staying in a hotel when smoke alarms suddenly began sounding. When Keri opened the door, the hallway was already filling with smoke.
David made sure his family safely evacuated, but instead of following them outside, he turned back.
“He went door to door making sure everyone got out,” she said. “Then he grabbed a fire extinguisher and stayed there until firefighters arrived, telling them exactly where the fire was.”
Afterward, hotel guests thanked him for saving their lives.
David never mentioned the incident again.
“He never bragged about things like that,” Keri said. “He just did it because that is what you were supposed to do. That is who he was.”
The same quiet humility earned him the respect of law enforcement and emergency responders across Autauga County.
Autauga County Sheriff Mark Harrell described Bagley as an honorable public servant whose knowledge and leadership made him invaluable during emergencies.
“He was an honorable man that I worked closely with,” Harrell said. “He is going to be greatly missed as the EMA director. It will be hard to replace somebody with his knowledge and skills.”
Harrell said Bagley never sought recognition.
“He was a quiet person who kind of kept to himself,” he said. “But when we worked together, his knowledge of his job and what he brought to the table helped tremendously with my job. He was a good guy.”
Prattville Police Chief Mark Thompson said Bagley became someone first responders knew they could always depend on.
“He was a great man,” Thompson said. “Anytime we needed anything, it was no problem. When something was going on, he would be at the scene, not interfering, but just standing there saying, ‘Whatever you need, tell me.’ He would be standing there waiting with anything we ever needed.”
Thompson said that quiet support meant everything.
“He was just a good, honest Christian man, in my opinion,” he said. “He’s going to be missed and hard to replace.”
Prattville Fire Chief Joshua Bingham said Bagley’s dedication never faded, even as he battled cancer.
“Director Bagley’s service to the City of Prattville, Autauga County and the State of Alabama cannot be emphasized enough,” Bingham said. “His intelligence, skill, and incredible work ethic, even during his illness, made our community safer, more prepared and more resilient. He was always willing to ensure our department had access to any needed resources during times of disaster. We are praying for his family during this difficult season.”
Although he had served as Autauga County’s EMA director for just over two and a half years, Keri said David found exactly where he belonged.
“He loved his job,” she said. “He loved Prattville. He fit right in here, and he loved everybody. He thought so much of the people he worked with.”
For those who knew David Bagley, his legacy will never be measured by emergency plans, disaster responses or the title he carried.
It will be remembered in the neighbors he quietly helped without expecting recognition, in the first responders who knew they could always count on him, in the grandchildren he taught to serve others, and in the family who watched him live every day with honor, humility and unwavering faith.
David Bagley dedicated his life to protecting his community. In the end, the greatest life he saved may have been the example he left behind, reminding everyone who knew him that the truest measure of a public servant is not found in the spotlight, but in the quiet moments when no one is watching and helping others simply feels like the right thing to do.
