Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Officer Aaron, Thank you for your service. Your dedication and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

I pray for your wife and family and hope the time has somehow, somewhat eased the pain. It's plainly obvious jusging by the reflections you were a great cop and a wonderful husband/family man.

Again, thank you for your service. Rest in peave, brother...

Deputy and Firefighter
Southwest Florida

September 14, 2009

Missing your reflections Jennifer

friend

September 8, 2009

Jenn thinking of you and Duke this week - hope you are well. Duke, thank you for protecting and serving!

Jennifer Filer-Orsborne
Surviving Spouse Montgomery Co. Police Dept.

July 31, 2009

Duke, You and Jenn are on my mind today. I thought of you both as July 20th came and went. I am thinking of you today and praying for peace for Jenn and your family. I will never forget you. I only wish I had the privledge to have meant you. Love you Jenn, Lorrie

Lorrie Winder
wife of Ofc. Winder E.O.W 7/3/04

July 26, 2009

5 years ago, you left the road, your wife and family. May you continue to rest in peace.

Anonymous

July 20, 2009

As the song goes, Time Marches On. Can't believe it has been five years since you been gone. God Bless you and thanks for watching out for all of us. Keep a look out for Phil working under the bridge. He is the one who keeps honking the horn each day in your remenbrance. You will be in our hearts forever.

Deb and Phil Keiter
Mom and Dad Inlaw

July 20, 2009

Duke,

In less than a week it will be five years since I watched you take your last breath and seven years since I watched my grandmom take her last breath. Where did the time go!

I sat at your grave twice on your birthday. I can't believe we are both in our 30's Duke. Just seems like yesterday we were teenagers. On the 15th anniversary of our courtship the other day, I started thinking about how you would pull my scrunchies out of my hair every chance you got because you always liked my hair down and would always complain (in a joking manner) about me pulling my hair up. Of all things to pop into my thoughts while stopped at a red light. It brought tears to my eyes. The strange thing about the time of your birthday up until the time of our courtship anniversary was all the heads up pennies I was finding everywhere I went. Pennies from Heaven!

Continue to keep an eye on all of us down here. Some of our friends are going through difficult situations and really need you to look out for them right now. Thank goodness for my wonderful family and the friends I/we/you have that have looked out for me for almost five years now. And to this day no matter who I happen to run into or visit that we/you knew, there is always a funny Duke story brought up.

I guess I'll try to go to sleep. Blackie keeps nudging my hand for me to pet him LOL. He has come a long way! Daisy and Amber are curled up next to me and Rocky is probably at the food bowl. He is still a big boy!

You are missed and loved with every beat of my heart Snookums. I love you! Sleep tight my love!

Love,
Jenn

P.S.- I liked how you tried messing with me and both lawnmowers a couple months ago. I was determined the grass was going to get cut. I'm sure you were amused watching me cut almost all of it with the weed wacker until I saw Rick and borrowed his and Sharons lawnmower. I know you would never have thought I would break out the weed wacker because I was always hesitant of it. Nice try!

Jennifer Aaron
Duke's Wife

July 15, 2009

Beyond Bereavement -- Dating Again after 5 years

'Till death do us part...little did we know that these words would ring true so early in our lives. John and I would have celebrated our 10th anniversary six months after he died. Instead, like all of you, I was shoved back into the world of being a single woman. I didn't belong here. I was supposed to be married till we were old and gray and holding our grandchildren, enjoying our retirement and then in the retirement home. That's how it is supposed to work, right? Sadly, our married with our loved ones are over and we need to start anew. Some of you may jump right into dating again and some of you may take some time -- even years -- to take that first step. Who knows what might happen?

In the meantime, like me, it was 4 years after, when I met Greg, take your time -- only YOU know when you are ready. You may have friends pushing you to date, setting you up or encouraging you to sign up for a dating service. You may have friends that would make great partners but they are often best left as friends especially if they are already spoken for. I had a friend who was great but married but we ruined that friendship and his marriage by taking it one step too far, meeting without his wife's knowledge and consent and he ended up being divorced and never allowed to see his daughter and son. Now he doesn't even speak to me...Don't make the mistake of friendship dating. Follow only your head strong notions and Listen to your heart -- you'll know when you're ready to step out into that world again. It may be fun and exciting or scary and uncomfortable. You may feel like a teenager again. Either way, it's your new world and you'll know when you're ready to explore it. All I ask is that you keep your head on straight -- when meeting someone for the first time, pick a public place, bring your own car and don't give out any financial information -- often there are those who will prey on widows for insurance, etc. Just be smart about it. I am happily engaged to my future husband and hope that I do not have to experience growing old without him. One candle in the window will always burn for my first love and my soon to be husband accepts that readily.

I truly wish you and other widows the best of living the rest of your life.

Mary
A NYPD widow

July 9, 2009

Happy "belated" Birthday Duke! Guess after a little time goes by, people often forget dates, and forget to say Happy Birthday. Sorry I was a couple days late!

Hope Jenn is doing okay. It will soon be the 5th anniversary of your death. I am sure she must still miss you terribly, give her strength and guidance to move on in life.

a family friend
Pasadena, MD

July 9, 2009

Happy Birthday Duke, Have a cold one for me.

Anonymous

July 5, 2009

Happy Birthday Duke!

anonymous

July 5, 2009

Can't believe it has been almost 5 years since you left the road and traveled to the highway of heaven. In less than a month we will remember your day of passing. Hope Jenn is reminiscing those memories that you left with her, she will never replace you my friend. You are and will be her only love til the end when she meets you again. Be with your wife as she travels the road of life without you.

friend
MTAP

June 22, 2009

Duke-

I met a few of your wonderful family members while at Police Week in 2005. I apologize for not writing you sooner as I should have. I think of you often and cry for your loved ones as I know how badly they miss you and long to hold you. Peace to you in heaven my friend and please say hello to the other heroes that are sharing the golden streets with you! I will never forget you or your family....

Donald Ward
Brother of Ofc. Derek P. Ward (EOW 7/3/04)

April 9, 2009

Hey Snookums,

I hate this time of year at the cemetery. It is the time of year when they do their Spring clean up and everything is removed from every grave in there. Your grave is never without flowers from me so I am anxiously waiting for them to remove what is on there so I can put some Spring flowers out. Speaking of flowers, your tulips the girls and I planted last year are popping up out of the ground already. Even the purple one from Brittney has so far survived haha.

I was telling someone the other day about the white chocolate bunny I left for you last year on Easter and how someone took it out of the box and ate it, but was gracious enough to have left the box. Help me figure out what to place on the white chocolate bunny I'll be leaving for you this year that will hopefully cure them of stealing any in the future like you figured out how to cure Glenn from stealing your Twinkies back in the day.

I love you Duke! Continue to sleep tight my love!

Love,
Jenn

P.S.- Your truck needs new breaks. I told my dad not to blame me for being so hard on the brakes, but to blame you since it was your truck. He took up for you in his comeback LOL. I also bet you were in your glory watching over Kevin and Angie hauling his four-wheelers back from WVA with it. I can't wait to see their new house. I know you would have been wanting to move right there next to them since it's up in the mountains.

Jennifer Aaron
Duke's Wife

March 10, 2009

Jenn, We all miss your reflections to Duke. Maybe you are in a different place or are moving on.

Friend
MTAP

March 5, 2009

Happy Valentines Day buddy! I am sure this day will be a rough one for Jenn, she will never replace you with anybody else, especially in her heart. You two had a love that will carry her through until you meet again in Heaven. You should be glad you had someone so special. She really isn't alone. You are with her all the time. Take care of her today my friend.

friend
MTAP

February 14, 2009

Hey Snookums to Jenn but its Duke to me buddie.....I havn't wrote to you in forever and a day. I don't have a reason and God knows I have not forgotten you. From the time you were my cadet to the time were share the same patrol car, I always knew you were a person everyone would respect and like. Every time I see a dun Chevrolet(your truck of choice) with dual exhaust I think about your wanna be Hill Billy ass......I miss you buddie and I know your family especially Jenn misses you!!!!! Look over your fellow officers as they perform the same job that you were when you were taken from us!!!!!!

OFF II J>D> Birchfield RET
Maryland Transportation Authority PD

February 9, 2009

Hello Duke, Sorry I missed saying Merry Christmas to you and Jenn. For some reason I wasn't able to sign on this website so Happy New Years to you and you family aspecial Jenn. I hope this year brings whatever your family needs spiritually. You and your family are forever in my prayers. Love and miss you Jenn. Hope all is well. Love Ya! Will call soon! Keep smiling!!!!

Lorrie Winder
wife of Ofc. Winder E.O.W 7/3/04

January 23, 2009

Healing Through Letting Go

Letting Go. Releasing. Moving on. These are words that come to mind when holding on to the status quo becomes too painful or takes too much energy.

Even when we're ready, it's seldom easy to let go. But when we do, both we and the other person can become the people we were meant to be—loving without feeling we must control or be dependent on the other for our happiness.

The healing and release we feel when we're finally able to truly let go can't happen, however, until we allow a shift to occur within us, until we're ready for a new way of looking at things, a perspective that is expressed very well in the poem called "What is Letting Go?"

To "let go" does not mean to stop caring. It means I can't do it for someone else.

To "let go" is not to cut myself off. It's the realization that I can't control another.

To "let go" is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To "let go" is not to try to change or blame another. It's to make the most of myself.

To "let go" is not to care for, but to care about.

To "let go" is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To "let go" is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.

To "let go" is not to be in the middle, arranging all the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To "let go" is not to deny, but to accept.

To "let go" is not to nag, scold, or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

To "let go" is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.

To "let go" is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.

To "let go" is to fear less and to love more.

Remember: The time to love is short


— Author Unknown

friend
MTAP

January 13, 2009

I miss you Jenn, Duke is on my mind often. 2009 brings me to 16 years without Mark. I'm not sure we will participate in police week activities in 09 - Colleen ends her college semester on the 12th and we may only be able to go to a couple of events. If we don't go we will miss seeing so many of our friends from all around the USA.

Please know that Duke is in my thoughts and you are on my heart always. I hope you are able to have a good new year - that one is hardest of all for me, it just means another year without him. Don't mean to be a downer, it just truth. Miss U, Jenn Filer-Orsborne

Jenn
wife of Mark Filer

December 30, 2008

This makes the 5th Christmas you've been gone from everyone. Time goes by so quick! Please tell my grandparents, uncles (yeah include Martin I guess lol), and Mr. Ed that they are missed and loved.

Amber, the cats, and I miss and love you Duke. Merry Christmas Snookums!

Jennifer Aaron
Duke's Wife

December 25, 2008

Well another Christmas without the men we love - I really miss you Jennifer. I hope you are well and this time of year draws you closer to Duke. Thinking about you and wanted you to know it....

Jenn Filer-Orsborne
friend

December 13, 2008

Hope you continue to watch over your wife and loved ones during the holiday season and hope that they treasure the memories of the moments you shared with them.

Friend at MTAP

December 1, 2008

Jenn,
You and Duke Shared a kind of love everyone I know would be jealous of.

It is true~
Love stories never end....

Anonymous

December 1, 2008

I can't believe that it's been 4 1/2 years since you were taken from our streets. I recall standing in the middle of Rt. 100, blocking traffic for the funeral procession like it was yesterday. I've been able to help Jenn out with a few things over the last few years, but it's not nearly enough. Duke, you would be so proud of her. She's such a fighter.

Sergeant
Anne Arundel County

November 24, 2008