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Residents, colleagues pay last respects to police chief in a Darke County village
Larry Hoffman of Ansonia was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his office Nov. 20.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Police officers representing departments from throughout the Miami Valley escort a hearse carrying Ansonia police Chief Larry Hoffman to the cemetery at Holy Family Catholic Church. The funeral for Hoffman was Wednesday, Nov. 26, in Frenchtown, Darke County. Burial was held with full police honors in the Holy Family Church Cemetery. Hoffman died Nov. 20, apparently from a self-inflicted gun shot. Staff photo by Lisa PowellFRENCHTOWN, Darke County — The bagpiper played "Coming Home" to lead Ansonia police Chief Larry Hoffman to his grave.
Gathered at the churchyard cemetery Wednesday, Nov. 26, along with 100 mourners were 50 police officers and firefighters from across the Miami Valley.
After the honor guard fired its three volleys and the flag from the coffin was folded and presented to Hoffman's widow, Judy, the silence was broken by the crackle of police radios.
"Two-oh-two. Two-oh-two, Darke County," said the dispatcher, calling out Hoffman's call sign. It was followed by silence.
"It is with great sadness," said the dispatcher, "that Ansonia police Chief Larry Hoffman has answered his last call."
Hoffman, 56, was found dead the evening of Nov. 20 in the village police station. Darke County sheriff's detectives said Hoffman had an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The investigation is continuing.
The funeral procession that included 24 police cars and stretched nearly one mile wound its way through Ansonia. Groups stood on the sidewalks and corner of Main Street as the chief made a final, slow tour of the village where he had served as a police officer for more than 20 years.
Neighbors spoke of his years of service, his attendance at basketball games, his knocking on doors to check on children.
And being Santa, a part the chief played for nearly 19 Christmases.
"He wasn't Santa Claus," 8-year-old Megan Christman said. "He was Santa's helper."
After losing a good deal of weight through gastric bypass surgery last year, Hoffman worried he wouldn't be an authentic Santa, said Jody Christman, Megan's mother and the next-door neighbor of the Hoffmans.
He sent away for a special Santa suit that would pad his now-reduced girth to the appropriate circumference, Mrs. Christman said.
The Rev. David Vincent, in his homily at the funeral Mass in the Holy Family Catholic Church, said, "Larry spent his life helping others, defending and mending others."
The white-washed brick church stands atop a slight rise, the cemetery containing the dead since 1866 just below it.
The service ended with the piper playing "Amazing Grace" as he marched from the grave toward the surrounding barren farm fields.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2290 or
dpage@DaytonDailyNews.com.
