Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

I Only Wanted You

If I could have a lifetime wish, a dream that would come true

I'd pray to God with all my heart, for yesterday and for you

A thousand words won't bring you back, I know because I've tried

And neither will a thousand tears I know because I've cried

You've left behind my broken heart, and happy memories too

But the worst part is that I never wanted memories, I only wanted you

Anonymous

December 13, 2008

Say Matt

The time of concern is over. No longer am I asked how I am doing. Never is the name of my husband mentioned to me. A curtain descends. The moment has passed. A life slips from frequent recall. There are exceptions...close and comforting friends, sensitive and loving family. For most, the drama is over. The spotlight is off. Applause is silent. But for me, the play will never end. The effects on me are timeless. Say Matt to me.

On the stage of my life, he has been both lead and supporting actor. Do not tiptoe around the greatest event of my life. Love does not die. His name is written on my life. The sound of his voice replays within my mind. You feel he is dead. I feel he is of the dead and still lives. You say he was my husband, I say he is. Say Matt to me and say Matt again.

It hurts to bury his memory in silence. What he was in the flesh has now turned to ash. What he is in spirit, stirs within me always. He is of my past, but he is part of my present. He is my hope for the future. You say not to remind me. How little you understand I cannot forget. I WOULD NOT IF I COULD. I forgive you, because you cannot know. I strive to not judge you, for yesterday I was like you.

I do not ask you to walk this road. The ascent is steep and the burden heavy. I walk it not by choice. I would rather walk it with him in the flesh. I am what I have to be. What I have lost you cannot feel. What I have gained you cannot see. Say Bryan, for he is alive in me.

He and I will meet again, though in many ways we have never parted. He and his life play light songs on my mind, sunrises and sunsets on my dreams. He is real and he is shadow. He was and he is.

He is my ever present hope and I love him as I always did.

Say Matt to me and say Matt again.

~author unknown~

Anonymous

December 13, 2008

Gone but not forgotten. I am one of the fortunate ones who got to know you and share some of lifes experiences with you. You made me laugh, you made me cry. Know that you are still with me.
John Barriball

Sgt. John Barriball
Whatcom County Sheriff / Retired

October 10, 2008

The moment that I knew you had died,
My heart split in two,
The one side filled with memories,
The other died with you.

I often lay awake at night,
When the world is fast asleep,
And take a walk down memory lane,
With tears upon my cheek.

Remembering you is easy,
I do it every day,
But missing you is a heartache,
That never goes away.

I hold you tightly within my heart,
And there you will remain,
Life has gone on without you,
But it never will be the same.

For those who still have their children,
Treat them with tender care,
You will never know the emptiness,
As when you turn and they are not there.

Don't tell me that you understand,
don't tell me that you know.
Don't tell me that I will survive,
How I will surely grow.

Don't tell me this is just a test,
That I am truly blessed.
That I am chosen for the task,
Apart from all the rest.

Don't come at me with answers
That can only come from me,
Don't tell me how my grief will pass,
That I will soon be free.

Don't stand in pious judgment
Of the bonds I must untie,
Don't tell me how to grieve,
Don't tell me when to cry.

Accept me in my ups and downs,
I need someone to share,
Just hold my hand and let me cry,
And say, "My friend, I care."

Anonymous

October 8, 2008

"The life given us by nature is short but the memory of a well spent life is eternal"-Cicero

Anonymous

September 13, 2008

Remebering a hero, his family, his friends, and his co workers today. Matt though Your death may have been overshadowed by the events of Sept 11 We will make sure you do not go forgotton. Your fami8ly has been in my thoughts quite a bit in the last few days and Ive said many prayeras for them. Again we cna not thank you enough for your sacrifice to the safety and security of your watch.

A HERO TO MORE THAN HE KNOWS. ©2004

Emory - Ephrata, WA
brother of Ferry Count yWA Undersheriff Matthew J Lane, EOW 05/30/03

September 13, 2008

Dear Matt,
It has been 7 years now and I reread the 7 pages of reflections here. You were a sweetheart! I laughed at some of your crazy antics and we all need a friend like you! You made life precious for sooo many people. And I love to think about the ones that are alive today because you aren't. You so unselfishly gave...even in your death.
I attended the memorial service for a Skagit County Deputy this week. The death toll climbs and the pain never ends. But NO ONE can remove the wonderful memories of YOU! Regardless of the years that pass, you will
always be in our hearts. God bless!
Lynn Kole
neighbor

Anonymous

September 13, 2008

How I miss your smiling face and your easy laugh. Although seven years have a way of softening even the most horrendous events, you must know that I will miss you every day of my life. You are never far from me because you live on in my broken heart. This is something that a father should never have to say. I had the privilege of holding you at your birth and the terrible experience of holding you at the time of your death. You shall always be my hero, my best friend, and my son.
I love you, Matthew.
Dad

Anonymous

September 13, 2008

Hard to believe it's been seven years since that tragic night. It seems like yesterday we were riding together on graveyards. Thank you for everything you taught me. 4A117 rest in peace.

Deputy Todd Damon
Whatcom County Sheriff's Office

September 12, 2008

Thank You for your dedication and ultimate sacrifice to our chosen profession of law enforcement. You are a true hero. God bless your family.

Sincerely,
Cpl. Jon Lowder RIP brother
Union County Sheriff's Office Monroe, North Carolina

Cpl. Jon Lowder
Union County Sheriff's Office

September 6, 2008

God hath not promised us skies always blue,
flower-strewn pathways, all our lives through;
God hath not promised us sun without rain,
joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
rest for the labor, light for the way,
grace for the trials, help from above,
unfailing sympathy, undying love ...

Anonymous

August 30, 2008

FERNDALE — Local members of law enforcement gathered Tuesday evening to mark the memory of the nine officers who have died in the line of duty in Whatcom County over the years.

Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste was a guest of honor at the fourth annual Law Enforcement Memorial Night, put on by the Bellingham and Ferndale Masonic lodges

The event included the unveiling of a large memorial bearing all nine names, one of them dating back to the 1920s.

Whatcom County Undersheriff Carey James hosted the event and recalled the difficulty of losing an officer. When James was chief of the U.S. Border Patrol in Washington state, a 1998 plane crash took the life of Agent Scott Panchison. “It was one of the hardest and most difficult things I’ve ever had to do — to go out and tell a family that we had lost an officer,” James said.

Also present at Tuesday’s ceremony were Todd and Marge Herzog, the parents of Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Matthew Herzog, the most recent local officer to die in the line of duty.

Herzog, a field training officer, was the passenger in a patrol car that crashed while in a high-speed chase with a suspect on Samish Way on Sept. 13, 2001. He later died from his injuries.

“The United States had September 11, 2001, and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office had September 13, 2001,” Sheriff Bill Elfo told the Herzogs. “We’ll never forget that — it will always be a part of us.”

Marge Herzog said she appreciated the kind words and the community support following her son’s death.

“He loved his job and he was very good at his job,” she said. “It’s an honor that the community remembers him. … (His death) was a difficult experience. It’s something you live with every day.”

The memorial will be on display in the Ferndale Masonic Center, 5638 3rd Ave.

Law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty in Whatcom County:

Patrolman Vernon G. Fortin of the Washington State Patrol was killed in an on-duty motorcycle accident on Hannegan Road near Lynden on Sept. 30, 1923.

Agent Charles Flachs of the Immigration and Naturalization Service was shot and killed in the line of duty in Blaine on May 26, 1936.

Trooper Thomas Hamlin of the Washington State Patrol was injured in an on-duty automobile accident on the Mount Baker Highway near Deming in 1940. He died as a result of his injuries on May 26, 1945.

Assistant Police Chief Larry Duronso and reserve police officer Douglas Krenz of the Blaine Police Department died in an aircraft crash while searching for the body of a murder victim outside Blaine on Sept. 4, 1978.

Agent Ken Ward of the U.S. Customs Service was shot and killed while attempting to detain a murder suspect from California at the Lynden border crossing on May 23, 1979.
Patrolman Jack Martin of the Lynden Police Department suffered a fatal heart attack after assisting a Washington State Patrol trooper in arresting a violent suspect on Aug. 9, 1988.

Agent Scott Panchison of the U.S. Border Patrol died in an on-duty plane crash on Oct. 23, 1998.

Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Matt Herzog died in a high-speed chase with a suspect on Samish Way on Sept. 13, 2001.

SOURCE: WHATCOM COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

May 29, 2008

Hi Matt!
I was down weeding today at your accident site. A woman who lives up the road on Samish Way stopped to tell me she appreciated me keeping it up. She says everytime she drives by, which is several times a day, she says a prayer for your family. She said I was a blessing to her, but she was a blessing to me! It is our hope that you are not forgotten. We are remembering you this Memorial Day week-end. I know there are many who still miss you after all these years. You will always be in their hearts! Life is
so harsh and unfair at times.
Lynn Kole

May 25, 2008

Loving you is easy,
I do it every day,
Missing you is a heartache,
That never goes away.

When links of life are broken
And a child has to part
There is nothing that will ever heal
A parent's broken heart....

Loved with a love beyond telling,
Missed with a grief beyond all tears.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

May 17, 2008

"The Badge"

He starts his shift each day
To respond to calls unknown.
He drives a marked patrol car.
A police officer he is known.

He's paid by the citizens' taxes
To make it safe on the streets.
But he usually has a second job
'Cause a waitress has his salary beat.

Now he doesn't know a holiday
'Cause he works all year round.
And when Thanksgiving and Christmas finally arrive
At his home he cannot be found.

He's cursed and assaulted often,
The one whos blood runs blue.
He seldom ever gets a thanks,
To some he's just a fool.

His friends are always other cops
'Cause people just don't understand
That underneath his badge and gun,
He's just another man.

He knows there might not be a tomorrow
In this world of drugs and crime.
And he gets so mad at the court system
'Cause the crooks don't get any time.

And each day when he leaves for work,
He prays to God above.
Please bring me home after my shift
So I can see the ones I love.

But tonight he stops a speeding car,
He's alone down this ole' highway.
It's just a little traffic infraction.
He does it everyday.

Well, he walks up to the driver's window,
And his badge is shining bright.
He asked the guy for a driver's license,
When a shot rang through the night.

Yes, the bullet hit its mark,
Striking the officer in the chest.
But the Department's budget didn't buy
Each officer a bullet-proof vest.

So he lay on the ground bleeding.
His blood wasn't blue - His blood was red.
And briefly he thought of his loved ones
'Cause in a moment the officer was dead.

In the news they told the story
Of how this officer had died.
And some who listened cared less,
But those who loved him cried.

Well, they buried him in uniform
With his badge pinned on his chest.
He even had his revolver,
He died doing his best.

Written By:
David L. Bell
Sergeant
Richland County Sheriff's Department
Columbia, South Carolina
Used with Special Permission of the Author
Copyright © 1993 - All Rights Reserved
and may not be duplicated without permission

Investigator David L Bell
Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC

April 29, 2008

To Honor You
by Connie Kiefer Boyd

To honor you, I get up every day and take a breath and start another day without you in it.
To honor you, I laugh and love with those who knew your smile and the way your eyes twinkled with mischief and secret knowledge.
To honor you, I take the time to appreciate everyone I love. I know now there is no guarantee of days or hours spent in their presence.
To honor you, I listen to music you would have liked and sing at the top of my lungs with the windows rolled down.
To honor you, I take chances, say what I feel, hold nothing back, risk making a fool of myself, dance every dance.
You were my light, my heart, my gift from the very highest source.
So everyday, I vow to make a difference, share a smile, live, laugh and love.
Now I live for both, so all I do, I honor you.










































2008-01-22
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jesse, I just wanted to say that you are thought of often and missed by so many. You were so well liked and just the life of the party. You have a wonderful wife who is truly doing a great job at being a proud wife and mother. It's 2008, new year, new beginnings, and after my own experiences of loss, I have to say that you are living on. Living on in the hearts of so many that you touched in so many different ways. All I can hope as a mother is that my son is thought of often by others but he didn't have time to touch many lives. I know he lives on in my heart with an unbelievable amount of love. As you live on in the hearts of your wife and children forever.
Carin- you are doing a great job as you go on this unwanted journey through grief and are truly a thoughtful person. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness to my husband and me for our son.
Many blessings to you,
Wendy

Wendy M.

April 6, 2008

You're only a memory away.

In the simple performance of duty,
he pinned on a badge,
checked his gear with a practiced eye,
and kissed his loved one good-bye.
In the simple performance of duty,
he reported for work,
joked with his buddies at roll call,
and made his last trip down the squadroom hall.
In the simple performance of duty,
he answered the call
to help the helpless, to find the lost,
no matter the danger or how great the cost.
In the simple performance of duty,
he lay down his life,
for those in peril he tried to save,
our brave friend went to his grave.
In the simple performance of duty,
we honor his deed,
as we carry him to rest in a flag-draped casket,
long after the world has forgotten, we shall never forget.
Never judge or regret, what he did,
In the simple performance of duty.

March 12, 2008

Rest in peace, Sir! You will never be forgotten.

Police Officer

January 30, 2008

Matt, you and your family were in my thoughts today. You are missed just as much today as 6 years ago. You are not forgotton. We will remeber you. As time goes by I havnet found it any easier to continue on wiht life. I've just learned to live the new "normal" as im sure wiht your family.

You are a hero to more than you know. (c)2004

Emory - Ephrata, WA
brother of Ferry County WA Undersheriff Matthew J Lane, EOW 5/30/03

September 14, 2007

6 years today.
I was listening to the children who lost a parent on
Sept. 11, 2001 due to the terrorist attacks. They said that they didn't just think about their Mom or Dad on the anniversary, they think of them everyday. They said that
the passage of time didn't make it easier, it actually
hurts more as the reality of their loss sinks in deeper.
It made me think of you. God bless you, Matt. LK

September 13, 2007

So many tears have been shed in the time since you've been gone. But through the tears, we always manage to smile when we remember your laughter, your sense of humor, your love of your family.

You are missed just as much today as you were six years ago. Thinking of you always.

September 12, 2007

So hard to believe it's been almost 6 years. You are still thought of daily Matt, and missed more and more.

August 20, 2007

You are still thought about and missed daily!

June 15, 2007

Thinking of you and us on this very special day of ours.

May 22, 2007

Thinking of you today, missing you always.

April 30, 2007