Public Encouraged to Contact Department with Gravesite Information of Former Officers
Next week, May 14-18, is celebrated as Police Memorial Week. Marshfield Police Department hosts a special memorial service every year at Beell Stadium and would also like to pay respects to past officers who are now deceased.
Marshfield Professional Police Association is seeking assistance in locating the burial locations of past police officers and place a special grave marker. Those with a family member or a friend that served the City of Marshfield PD and left in good standing, and who has since passed, are encouraged to contact the department.
“Especially around Police Memorial week, we commemorate those who have lost their lives in the line of duty,” said Chief Rick Gramza. “There are still thousands more that have just died after having given their lives to their profession and were fortunate enough to retire. We wanted to recognize those who faithfully served the Marshfield Police Department and their community and are now in their final resting place.”
Marshfield resident and current District 4 alderman, Gordy Earll, was the first person to place a marker on a family member’s gravesite.
Earll’s father “Gordon” served Marshfield Police Department from 1946 to 1957, with the final rank of lieutenant.
“The grave marker is a fitting memorial to all deceased police officers for their service to Marshfield,” he said.
Earll’s nephew, Tom Reichert, currently serves as Wood County Sheriff and his middle son, Michael, served as a police officer in Stoughton, WI for five years after college and has spent the past twenty years as a Police Science Instructor and Firearms Instructor at Western Technical College in La Crosse.
If interested in a grave marker, please contact Marshfield Police Department at 715-384-0800.
A Peace Officer Memorial Day ceremony will be held on May 16th at 6:30 PM at Fred Beell Stadium (Marshfield Middle School). In the event of inclement weather, the event will be moved to the middle school cafeteria.
