BELFAST, Maine (15 Apr 2008) — Family, friends and law enforcement colleagues of Waldo County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Mark Schade packed the Belfast Armory on Tuesday morning for "Schadey's" funeral service. Law enforcement personnel from various agencies from all over the state march Tuesday along Route 1 and to the Armory. The 42-year-old veteran of the sheriff's department died Thursday, April 10, while scuba diving in Monroe. He was remembered by the department chaplain and by Sheriff Scott Story as a man of integrity and as a master prankster. His son, Alex, recalled how he didn't particularly like Schade when the sergeant and his mother, Tish, initially got together. But that soon changed. "He took care of us very well," Alex said. More than 50 cruisers from departments around Central Maine lined Route 1 outside the Armory as the law enforcement community gathered to honor a fallen comrade. Officers lined up in formation outside the building and marched in accompanied by the sounds of drums and bagpipes. They walked down an aisle flanked by more than 600 chairs and moved toward a stand at the far end of the hall that held flowers, a photograph of Schade at work in his uniform and at play getting serious air beneath his snowmobile. Two folded flags, Schade's badge and a model of his cruiser completed the tableau. Waldo County Sheriff's Department officers escorted Schade's family members to their seats, his five sons in black pants and white shirts and his daughter in a dress. And then the remembrances began of a man who joined the department in 1991 and was the training officer for many new recruits. Sheriff's Department Chaplain Warren Doersman said, "This is a tragic day for all of you, a life taken without apparent reason or cause." But God, Doersman said, has a plan for all of us. "We don't know his plan, but he has a plan," Doersman said, and the plan included taking Schade back before his time. Doersman read portions of Scripture that referred to love, which Tish Schade had requested. "We are here today because we loved Mark Schade," he said. Game Warden Mike Boyer, a former colleague of Schade, said, "Mark took one for the team." He said, "We don't know when we'll leave this world, but it's good to be ready." Sheriff Story, who joined the department with Schade and was a friend for nearly 20 years, said he would speak as both a friend and as sheriff. Story said he would retire Schade's call number, Waldo 7, and instruct officers who are asked who Waldo 7 is to talk about the man most called "Schadey." Story said Schade was known as Uncle Mark to the children of other department members and treated them as his own. Story said he and Schade were part of a new patrol team formed by former Sheriff John Ford and Deputy Bob Jones. "We shared many adventures," he said, both at work and in the outdoors. "He was one of the finest officers I know, the same person in uniform as he was in jeans and a T-shirt. He treated people as he wanted to be treated." The sheriff also praised Schade as "one of the best fathers on the face of the earth." And "he loved his wife. He was a tough guy until Tish entered the room," Story said. | | Law enforcement personnel from various agencies from all over the state march Tuesday along Route 1 and to the Armory where the funeral service was held for scuba diving accident victim Sheriff Mark Schade. Story said his relationship with his deputies changed when he became sheriff in 2000. "But Schadey still treated me as a friend," he said. "He never was afraid to question me, or to hear my questions of him." As a prankster, Story said Schade was the best — he recalled Schade's targets might have to pull their lawn mowers out of trees, for instance. Alex stood at the front of the room and thanked everyone for attending the service. He broke down for a moment, and Story appeared beside him and helped him through his remarks. When the words were done, Story and Chief Deputy Bob Keating removed the flags from the memorial stand, and the sheriff presented them to the family. Rev. Don Williams said Schade sometimes hummed "Amazing Grace" to his children, and the ancient hymn was played on bagpipes, the sound filling the cavernous hall. Sheriff's Department officers then escorted family members, Schade's sons carrying a single red rose, daughter Rebecca a new flag. They were joined by the crowd in the parking lot where "Taps" was played. The family then departed in sheriff's department cruisers to the Boathouse, where a reception was held. Schade was made a sergeant in 2001 and was certified in drug recognition and accident reconstruction and was a field sobriety test instructor and a skid car instructor. He was the department's Deputy of the Year several years ago. A 1989 graduate of Unity College, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in conservation law enforcement. Schade drowned April 10, in a pond behind Story's home, where he was cleaning an aerator pump for the sheriff. Schade reportedly descended into the ice-covered pond and retrieved the pump, cleaned it, and was on his way back down to replace it when he apparently became disoriented. Maine State Police divers arrived on the scene, but Schade was in the pond for nearly two hours before he was found and taken by LifeFlight helicopter to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where he was pronounced dead.. SOURCE - Waldo County CitizenCDNN RELATED NEWSMAINE - Ice a factor in fatal dive?MAINE - Scuba diving accident kills off-duty sheriffSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
