MOURNFUL PROCESSION
Groves moved west to follow his dream of a law enforcement job.
Ahearse carrying the body of State Patrol Cpl. Daniel Groves leaves LifeBridge Church on Thursday in Longmont. Groves died when he was struck by a vehicle while responding to a motorist in Weld County during last week’s blizzard. Sevenyear-old Gil Gilmore, right, made a sign to hold during the procession.
The weariness was palpable Thursday during a funeral service for Cpl. Daniel Groves of the State Patrol.
Ceremonial bagpipes played a mournful song as fellow troopers gathered Thursday for the fourth time in four years to grieve for a trooper who was killed after being run over while working on a roadside.
This time, they said goodbye to a man who joined the State Patrol 12 years ago at an age that is considered old for a cadet. And Groves’ fellow troopers never let him forget it.
But Groves, who always wanted to be a cop, never let his age hold him back.
“Dan told me when he got hired by Colorado, it was one of the best days of his life,” his former trainer Trooper Randy Noftsger said during the memorial service.
Groves, 52, was an Illinois native who moved to Colorado to start his law enforcement career after getting turned down by agencies in the Midwest. He accepted half the salary of what he was making in the information technology industry to pursue his passion.
On Thursday, Groves’ friends and colleagues acknowledged he died doing what he loved, and they called his death senseless.
Groves was struck by a vehicle and killed while assisting a motorist on Interstate 76 during the March 13 bomb cyclone. Thus far, no charges have been filed in connection with the death.
The funeral took place at the LifeBridge Church in Longmont, where thousands of people, including law enforcement officials and first responders from 37 states, gathered to pay their respects. The funeral was preceded by a public procession along Colorado 66.
As the procession entered the church parking lot, local residents stood along the route to pay their respects. Muffled sniffles could be heard from community members standing along the highway.
The tragedy hit close to home for Kathy and Keith Wood, whose son, Chris Wood, has served 17 years in the State Patrol. Kathy Wood held a bouquet of American flags as her husband talked about the daily risks troopers face.
“You never know when the last time you will speak with him will be,” Keith Wood said.
Speaker after speaker at Groves’ funeral spoke of a man whose life was committed to service. He was known as the person to call if you needed help or if you couldn’t figure something out. He was spiritual and loving and was committed to his partner, family and his profession.
He thrived being in the middle of the action but not the center of attention, his friend Chris Remington said. Groves was also “everyone’s biggest fan,” he said.
“Dan was the glue that held us all together,” Remington said.
And Groves was quite the grammar nerd, his colleagues and friends joked. State Patrol Capt. Dan Haley lamented how one of his tweets about Groves had a misplaced apostrophe — something that would have driven his friend crazy.
As colleagues, bosses and friends shared memories of Groves, different pieces of his life were displayed on the stage, from a college fraternity shirt to a sports jersey to a flag with the thin blue line representing law enforcement.
Haley and Trooper Carin Lawrence shared stories of their time at the police academy with Groves, describing his positive attitude, his work ethic and his constant inquisitiveness.
Gov. Jared Polis addressed the crowd of mourners at the funeral, telling them he had spent the last few days talking to people who knew Groves and they all described him in “glowing terms.”
“Cpl. Groves died doing what he spent his life doing in different ways: helping and lending a hand,” Polis said.
The service was a reminder to other first responders of just how dangerous their work can be. And news of a Phoenix police officer dying while directing traffic came as troopers were preparing for Groves’ memorial.
Law enforcement funerals are never easy, said El Paso County sheriff’s Deputy Chief Lora Robblee after the service. She has been part of an honor guard for eight years and has participated in about 20 law enforcement funerals since she joined.
For honor guard members, the grieving process happens before and after the funeral, Robblee said. During the service, the members have to focus on one job: honoring the person who died and their loved ones.
On a personal level, though, it’s different.
“It’s challenging,” Robblee said. “It certainly makes you think it could have been me or any one of us.”
Longmont Police Deputy Chief Jeff Satur looked through his Class A uniform dress hat after Groves’ service. It was filled with programs from other law enforcement funerals over the years.
“It’s really hard,” Satur said. “These are a lot of your friends, colleagues you’ve worked with on cases.”
Satur said his agency, as well as the fire department and Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, didn’t think twice about working with the State Patrol to plan the procession and funeral routes.
But they wish they didn’t have to, especially if motorists would pay attention, slow down and move over when they see wrecks, Satur said.
At a news conference after Groves’ death, State Patrol Col. Matthew Packard pleaded with drivers to follow the law, which he reiterated Thursday. Remington brought up the same message during the funeral, as did others after the service.
Satur called Groves’ death “particularly senseless.”
“It easily could have been avoided,” he said.
Staff writer Jackson Barnett contributed to this report.