On Nov. 19, the Georgia Coroners Association held their Annual Meeting at the Macon Marriott City Center in Macon and during that meeting, the Honorable David H. Exley, Coroner of Effingham County, was awarded the “Coroner Of The Year Award”.

This award is nominated by the membership and selected by a committee of previous award winners.  It is in honor of The Late Honorable A.R. King, who served as Coroner for Bibb County, and is considered one of the ‘Founding Fathers’ of the Georgia Coroners Association.

Exley has been serving as Coroner for Effingham County for over nine years and served as a Deputy Coroner for twenty-one years. He has been re-elected to another four-year term to begin in January.

Exley has served in many positions in the GCA, including District Director, Vice-President and he served as President in 2015. He is a Paramedic and has worked in Effingham and Chatham Counties and previously served as EMS Director for Effingham County.

The Honorable Chris Stephens, President of the Georgia Coroner Association, said that Exley is very deserving of the award. 

“(David) has worked hard for the Association and for the citizens of Effingham County,” Stephens said. “He works with families and other investigative agencies to determine the circumstances of each death case.”

Coroner Exley was surprised by this award. His wife, father, sister and other family members, along with Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie and EMS Director Wanda McDuffie, were in attendance to witness the presentation of this award by the Honorable Ralph Wilson, Coroner of Butts County.