Saying Goodbye to a Great person that I never knew.

So, last saturday Tom got a horrible phone call that his Lieutenant had suddenly passed away. For people who dont understand how this Lieutenant, Captain, Sargent thing works (I didnt and had to ask) Tom is a Deputy and is on the A squad. (there is A and then B squad). Each sqaud has 3 shifts (Day, Evenings, and Midnights) Tom is on Day shift. Each shift has 3 sargents and only 1 Lt. So Toms Lt was the one that passed. This was the person he reported to everyday. Tom really enjoyed talking to this man. Apparently he was quite a character and had a great sense of humor. He passed away from a heart attack and was very young at only his mid 50's. He was the first paid fire fighter in Loudoun Co and shortly after that he became a cop. He has been a cop in Loudoun Co. for almost 30 years! To say this is a great loss for this community is only putting it lightly. The guys looked up to him and he was a great mentor for them.

His funeral was like nothing I have ever witnessed. cops from all over attended. Toms entire squad of course got to sit up front to be near him and to sit as HIS squad one last time. It was very touching to hear people tear up at the sight of Toms squad. We met early in the morning at a local elementry school to get the cruisers all lined up to go down there. toms Squad drove as a group down to the Church and a bunch of the wives got to ride in the cruisers with them. The funeral was very touching hearing stories from his brother and kids about the kind of man he was and funny stories about him. After the funeral was a graveside service (VERY COLD) and a huge procession to the gravesite. they shut down all intersections and all roads for the procession. People in the community stood outside their homes waving flags and saluting. it was very touching. They drove him by the fire house one last time and they had the ladders up for the procession to drive under with a huge flag hanging down. after the graveside service the guys went back to get a photo with his cruiser. then we all went to lunch. it was just for toms squad to attend. it was nice for them to get to share stories about their Lt. and for the wives to hear about them. A nice way to remember him.

Here are some pictures of the day.

This was just a few of the cop cars parked at the church that day.

This picture was taken from my seat in toms cruiser. Its the start of the procession.

The Picture above is of his cruiser that sat in front of the Church.

Lt. Patton leaving the funeral. The start of the procession.

This picture above is actually me taking a picture in the side mirror of toms cruiser of all the cruisers behind us in the procession. the procession was about 2,5 miles long.

The police dogs all lined up to pay their last respects at the front of the graveyard. they were so cute!

The picture above is the procession driving past the firehouse where a flag was waving for him to drive under.

A cop saluting Lt Patton, one final time. (this was the entire way of the procession but I only took one picture).

These are fire fighters saluting in front of the fire house, one last time.

A little family outside their home waving flags as the procession drove by. very touching.

A Squad in front of their Lt. truck. They have all been touched by this Hero, for life.

R.I.P LT. John B. Patton

You will be greatly missed.