Many mourn, honor life lost
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — More than 200 motorcycles, 75 police officers from Butler County and points surrounding, a handful of hot rods, and 300 mourners turned out on Wednesday to pay their respects to and support the family of Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Department patrolman Kristine Bartman, 30.
Bartman was returning from the Justin Bieber concert on her Yamaha Bolt motorcycle on July 13 when she was killed in an accident on the Liberty Bridge in Pittsburgh.
Evans City-Seven Fields police chief Joe McCombs met Bartman's husband, Zachary, at the door of the Boylan Funeral Home.
Five rows of officers from all over Butler County, plus Allegheny County police and sheriffs, University of Pittsburgh police, North Strabane Police, Northern Regional Police, Southwest Regional, and other departments, stood at attention as McCombs and Bartman talked and embraced.
The family and close friends of Kristine Bartman went inside the funeral home for a short service as more than 300 bikers and mourners stood outside in the noonday sun.
An honor guard from the Pittsburgh Fraternal Order of Police, who held flags and rifles, stood at attention as Bartman's coworkers carried her flag-draped casket from the funeral home. The rows of officers snapped to a salute position on the order of Callery Police Chief David Watts when Bartman's casket appeared outside.
The casket was placed into a special transparent hearse that was pulled by a three-wheeled motorcycle, representing Bartman's “last ride.”
The more than 200 motorcycles parked at the Buttercup Woodlands Campground beside the funeral home entered the huge procession along with police and fire vehicles.
The procession stretched from the funeral home into Evans City before the last of the 500 or so vehicles in the procession pulled onto Route 68 from Boylan's.
Once in Evans City, the procession turned left on Mars-Evans City Road and went into Mars, then onto Route 228 West for a ride through Seven Fields, before ending at the Evans City Cemetery, where Bartman was buried.STAT MedEvac and LifeFlight helicopters flew over the burial service in Bartman's honor.Evans City-Seven Fields officer Chris Pipkin, who served as one of Bartman's pallbearers, said the officers who turned out for her funeral wanted to close ranks in the face of Bartman's death.“With everything going on with (violence against) police, unity is number one,” Pipkin said.He marveled at the turnout for the coworker who he called outgoing and fun.“They say you can tell how a person lived by the turnout when they pass,” Pipkin said.He said the police department planned to celebrate Bartman's life during Wednesday's proceedings, and not focus on her manner of death.“We are going to love her as much as we possibly can today,” Pipkin said.Mason Laskey of Gibsonia rode his sport bike to the event dressed in a black suit. He rode with five people on four other bikes.“I took a day off work to show support for a fellow rider, a great friend and an exceptional police officer,” Laskey said.Laskey met the Bartmans through their shared enthusiasm for motorcycles. He said he rode with them last summer to the Foxburg Winery and then to Conneaut Lake Park.“That was a great day and so much fun,” Laskey said.He said many thoughts crossed his mind as he headed north for Bartman's funeral and last ride, including her death.“Get off your phone, pay attention and respect motorcycles,” Laskey said. “But most of all, respect your police officers who protect and serve.”Leroy Bunyan of the Butler County American Legion Riders said more than 50 of his group showed up to join in Bartman's last ride.
“We're military, and we consider the police and firefighters to be our heroes,” Bunyan said, “so any time we can help, all they have to do is ask and we'll be there.”He said the lead American Legion Riders bikes were adorned with American flags draped in black.“It's an honor to escort this officer to her final resting place,” Bunyan said.Missy Davis sat on a high wall outside of the funeral home with her son, Riley, 7. Riley wore a SWAT jumpsuit and police hat, and held a poster with a heart crossed by a blue line representing all police.She said her son dreams of being a police officer someday and wanted to show his respect for Bartman.“He sees all the support they have and the community they have,” Missy Davis said. “This teaches him that blue lives are important.”
