Monroe County gives fond farewell to Sari
As Monroe County gathered together, in body and in spirit, Saturday to say goodbye to Sari, it was apparent just what a treasure we had in our midst.
At a funeral attended by more than 100 mourners outside the front door to Immaculate Conception Church in Columbia, Father Carl Scherrer — sadly not new to such affairs — spoke to the Lansing family with compassion, sincerity and just a bit of his trademark wit. He understood they had lost much more than a dog. They had lost a member of their family, the community had lost a protector, and, more importantly, Monroe County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Jim Lansing had lost a partner.
“The Lansing family, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and this community of Monroe County are better because of the blessings of Sari these past 10 years,” Father Carl said. “Lt. Lansing told me she was like a third daughter.”
Officers and their K-9s from across the metro-east attended to line the Lansings’ sad, slow walk from the cruiser that delivered them to the church, as Lansing carried Sari’s remains to an altar set up in the shade.
MCSD Lt. Jim Lansing places a ceremonial shovel full of dirt on Sari’s grave in Sauget on Saturday. (Andrea Degenhart photo)As K-9 training officer Mike Mojzis of the O’Fallon Police Department would say later that day, “You see a bunch of guys with sunglasses on. Normally, we would take them off but today we are hiding behind them a little bit.”
Sari suffered a ruptured tumor on her liver at the end of her shift…>>>
Read the rest of this story in the August 5 issue of the Republic-Times. If you don’t already receive the paper, you can subscribe by calling 939-3814 or clicking here, or pick up a copy at any of these locations.
