Yellow roses honored the 24 fallen officers

The roses were placed in a wreath during a final roll call.

By PATRICIA MEADE

VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — Some memories linger despite the passing years.

With a backdrop of fallen police officers’ photos and glowing candles, Darlene Litch took a suggestion given by one of her Youngstown State University students and told a story. Her happily married tale, which began with a honeymoon in Japan, ended Oct. 22, 1981, with the shooting death of Deputy Sheriff John “Sonny” Litch, her husband and father of her two children.

“We’ll never get over it,” Litch told an audience at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. “We’ve gotten through it — there’s a difference.”

She said you keep going long after you think you can’t. Her advice was to always leave loved ones with kind words; it may be the last time you see them.

Litch spoke at Friday’s observance in honor of Police Memorial Week, sponsored by Youngstown Police Department Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 28, Youngstown State University Police Department FOP Lodge 200 and Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department FOP Lodge 141. Police, families and city and county officials attended the service.

YPD Patrolman Michael T. Hartzell was shot to death April 29, 2003, the last time an officer from the Mahoning Valley was killed in the line of duty. His parents, Howard and Mary Kay Hartzell, and his fiancée, Stephanie Harchar, attended Friday’s service.

Judge Maureen A. Cronin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court told the audience she has a “soft spot” for YPD officers who trained her. The judge, once a city prosecutor, said few professions have the solidarity found in law enforcement.

During the service, the interior of the stained-glass church filled with moving hymns — YPD Detective Sgt. Carl Davis sang “Center of My Joy” and “Amazing Grace,” and Maureen Stenglein sang “You Raise Me Up.”

Roses

For the “last roll call,” police placed a yellow rose in a memorial wreath for each of the 24 officers who died in Mahoning County since 1891. Deputy Sheriff Lisa Beam simultaneously lighted a candle for each of the fallen.

A rose was also placed for former Trumbull County resident Daniel Pratt, a Los Angeles Police Department officer killed in 1988. His mother, Joyce Pratt of Hubbard, attended the service.

Deputy Sheriffs Faith Richley and Joe Varone, carrying the wreath, then led a procession from the red-brick church to a nearby garden.

The wind picked up as the white-gloved Youngstown Police Department Honor Guard, led by Lt. Robin Lees, fired a 21-gun salute. The crack of gunfire sent birds flying from trees near the church.

“Taps” played as officers saluted. The ceremony ended with bagpipe music.

meade@vindy.com