KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A joint funeral for Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputies Theresa King and Patrick Rohrer was held at Children’s Mercy Park Thursday morning.
Rohrer and King were killed in the line of duty last week during a prisoner transport.
Watch the full funeral service below:
Several people spoke during Thursday’s service, including Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash, two of King’s children, Bailey and Austin King, and Rob Richardson from the Boy Scouts of America.
Rohrer was active in the Boy Scouts.
KCKPD will keep the King family, Rohrer family, & the @WycoSheriff in our thoughts today & say a special prayer for them that God will comfort & strengthen them as we honor their loved ones’ sacrifices to our community.
— Terry Zeigler (@KCKPDChief) June 21, 2018
There were also several songs played at the request of both Rohrer’s and King’s families.
After the funeral, a procession followed King and Rohrer back to the funeral home in Shawnee, Kansas.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS AT MEMORIAL SERVICE
11:32 a.m. — Two hearses carrying the bodies of slain Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputies King and Rohrer left Children’s Mercy Park and pulled down a flag-lined France Family Blvd. as the burial processional started.
10:58 a.m. — The funeral concluded with the traditional 21-gun salute followed by taps and a flyover a few minutes later.
10:54 a.m. — The folded flags were presented to Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash, who gave them to the families of King and Rohrer.
10:47 a.m. — The Wyandotte County honor guard folded the flags that had been draped over the coffins of King and Rohrer.
10:40 a.m. — Danon Vaughn performed a stirring acapella version of “Amazing Grace/Man In Blue.”
After the song finished, Vaughn leaned into the mic and told Rohrer and King’s families, “We love you, we’re with you, and God bless you.”
10:31 a.m. — Rob Richardson, a longtime family friend and fellow Boy Scouts of America enthusiast, recalled the impact and importance the organization had in his life.
He also read the traditional Mic-O-Say funeral song, which is part of an honors camping program at the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation.
10:25 a.m. — With shaking hands, the second Rohrer family friend pulled out four Star Wars figurines and placed them on the lectern before delivering his eulogy, which had several quotes from the Star Wars film franchise sprinkled throughout it.
Rohrer, he said, had attended 17 consecutive Comi-Cons, loved dad jokes and video games.
10:19 a.m. — The first Rohrer family friend wore sunglasses and fought back tears as he described Rohrer’s toughness, including anecdotes about float trips and warrior dashes:
“He was one of the bravest men I’ve ever known. He was the greatest."
10:13 a.m. — At the Rohrer family’s request, “Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban played before two family friends spoke.
10:05 a.m. — Chaplain Sister Therese Bangert implored the community to do its part to honor the sacrifice made by King and Rohrer:
“This morning, I want to remind those of us gathered that keeping this community safe is not just the job of Sheriff (Don) Ash and the deputies, Chief (Terry) Zeigler and his office, D.A. (Mark) Dupree and his office, the public defenders. Each of us have a role in keeping us safe”
9:59 a.m. — King’s daughter Bailey — holding hands with her older brother, Austin — eulogized her mother, admirably fending off tears as she described a hard-working, goofy and passionate single mom. A woman she considered a hero and ideal role model:
“Mom, right now, this feels like a bad dream. I want to drive to your house and find you asleep like I have so many times before. I want to wake you up and hug you.”
9:54 a.m. — At the King family’s request, “I Want to Stroll Over to Heaven With You” by Alan Jackson played before her children spoke.
9:43 a.m. — Wearing a blue “Never Forgotten” ribbon from the Lancaster-Melton Peacekeepers Civitan Club, a group that King helped found after two Kansas City, Kan., officers were killed in 2016, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #40 President Max Sybrant gave a personal and impassioned eulogy:
“That’s when we heard the words no officer wants to hear, ‘1060, officer down,’” Bryant said, fighting back tears as he got choked up.
9:29 a.m. — Wyandotte County Sheriff Don Ash spoke for almost 15 minutes after an invocation from Chaplain Ken Nettling:
“Like it or not, there are only three rules in war. Rule one: Young men and women die. Rule two is you can’t change rule one. Rule three is somebody has to walk the point. … Society may not be a company of soldiers, but it clearly has and needs somebody walking the point.”
He urged the public to remember, not only the sacrifice Rohrer and King made when they were gunned down June 15 in the line of duty, but also the daily sacrifices law enforcement officers make.
9:20 a.m. — The U.S. flag-draped caskets of slain Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Deputies Theresa King and Patrick Rohrer were moved into place.
The emotional moment when the caskets of Wyandotte County Sheriff's Deputies Patrick Rohrer and Theresa King were presented during Thursday's memorial service at Children's Mercy Park: pic.twitter.com/CImnBhwvHo
— Tod Palmer (@todpalmer) June 21, 2018
9 a.m. — With law enforcement officers from across the nation saluting from the stands, members of the Boys Scouts accompanied the honor guard and with bagpipes playing led a processional before family and fellow Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department members filed into chairs arranged on the field at Children’s Mercy Park.
Scenes from the memorial service at Children's Mercy Park for slain Wyandotte County Sheriff's Deputies Theresa King and Patrick Rohrer pic.twitter.com/H3MKUtHqpe
— 41 Action News (@41actionnews) June 21, 2018
EXTENDED COVERAGE:
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Slain Wyandotte County Deputy Patrick Rohrer already a superhero to family
Compassion marked slain Wyandotte County Deputy Theresa King's life
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Eyewitness says he felt helpless during Friday's shooting of 2 deputies
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