Slain Deputy Remembered As A “Family Man”

Florida Alabama Okaloosa County Florida Sheriff's Deputy Burt Lopez buried Thursday.

by Steve Alexander

Published: Thu, April 30, 2009 - 8:13 pm CST Last Updated: Thu, April 30, 2009 - 8:31 pm CST

An Okaloosa County sheriff's deputy shot and killed in the line of duty this past weekend has been laid to rest.
Dozens of police officers attended the funeral of Deputy Burt Lopez at Central Baptist Church in Crestview, Florida on Thursday.
The shooting deaths of Lopez and Deputy Skip York were still fresh on co-workers minds.
Captain Paul Brown said, "This call went very wrong, tragically wrong. But I have to know they (the deputies) went into it trying to do what was right."
The announcement for Deputy Lopez funeral had an Okaloosa County Sheriff's star on the cover, with a piece of black tape across the star.
Family members asked that the news media not take pictures of the service, but they did allow the media to record audio.
One of the speakers was Lopez's wife, Michelle.
Michelle Lopez said, "I would encourage everyone in a relationship to focus on all the good and don't dwell on the little things. Hug and kiss your family often and make every day count because you never know when it will be your last."
Lopez's Pastor, Mark Seagle, said, "The words of Jesus echo in this moment when there's truth like this: that there is no greater love than this than a man is willing to lay down his life for another."
Captain Brown said, "He (Lopez) was a friend to people that needed a friend. He was a strong enforcer of the law when that needed to be and he was just a doggone good employee and a wonderful person."
Funeral services for Deputy York will be held Friday in Fort Walton Beach.

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