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Highlands Today

'End Of Watch - Dec. 25, 2008'

Jasmina Meyer/Highlands Today

Seminole County Deputy Sheriff Jeff Wilbur becomes emotional as he addresses the assembly at the funeral service for his brother, Sgt. Marc Wibur, at Union Congregational Church of Avon Park on Wednesday. At the end of his remarks Jeff faced his nephew and said,"you didn't lose a father you gained a guardian angel".

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: January 1, 2009

AVON PARK - Family, friends and fellow law enforcement officers turned out Wednesday to pay respect to an Avon Park "cop's cop."

Funeral services were held at Union Congregational Church for Avon Park Police Sgt. Marc Wilbur, who died while on duty Christmas Day.

Prior to the start of the service, slides ran showing photos of Wilbur, while songs like Eric Clapton's "Tears In Heaven" and Van Halen's "Dreams" played over the church speaker system.

The final slide was a picture of Wilbur with his 7-year-old son, Adam. At the top was written, "Adam, your daddy will always love you."

Then, more than 100 police officers and sheriff's deputies walked down the church aisle that led to the American flag-draped coffin. Before taking their seats, each individually saluted the casket, which was adorned by a photo of Wilbur.

Highlands County law enforcement, which included the sheriff's office and Avon Park, Sebring and Lake Placid police departments, were present, as were authorities from agencies across the state, such as Polk and Seminole County sheriff's deputies.

"This is a family today," prayed Pastor George Hall, who also serves as deputy mayor of Avon Park. "It's a family of Marc's on both sides; a physical, earthly family and then a family of brothers and sisters in a bond that we call peace officers."

In his remarks, Avon Park Police Chief Matt Doughney described Wilbur as a person who loved the Boston Red Sox, Chinese food, '80s music, a good joke and, "most of all, he loved his son."

Doughney added that Wilbur understood that loyalty, honor and integrity were more than just words.

"They were a code by which he conducted himself and he demanded that same code from the people that he worked with and for," Doughney said. "In the plainest of terms, Marc was a cop's cop."

Avon Park Police Cmdr. Mike Rowan remarked that Wilbur had many sayings; such "give me five more minutes."

"Whenever you're around Marc and you're ready to go home, he would say, 'Come on, man, give me five more minutes,'" Rowan said. "And he wouldn't let you alone until you gave five minutes."

Wilbur's career in law enforcement began in Massachusetts, where he was an officer with the Falmouth Police Department. His service in Florida started in 1993 with the Frostproof Police Department and then the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.

His employment with Avon Park began in 1996. In May 2007, Wilbur was promoted to sergeant. He was also recognized for developing the department's K-9 program.

While on duty Dec. 25, Wilbur slipped into unconsciousness and was later pronounced dead at Florida Hospital Heartland Division.

"It is with a heavy heart (that) I'm standing before you today, and offer condolences to a grieving family, a department and a city, for we have lost one of own," said Avon Park Mayor Sharon Schuler.

Brother Jeff Wilbur, a deputy in Seminole County, talked of him and Marc working together in the same agency when they moved to Florida. He credits his sibling with encouraging him to get into law enforcement.

Jeff's final remarks were spoken directly to his young nephew, Adam, who was seated in the crowd, surrounded by loving family members.

"You thought your dad was a superhero." Jeff said to Adam. "He was a superhero. He was a superhero to me, too. You didn't lose a father, you gained a guardian angel."

Following the service, all uniformed law enforcement officials stood outside the church's entrance, at attention, as pallbearers carried out the casket and loaded it onto a horse-drawn carriage for transport to the Bougainvillea Cemetery.

Along the procession route, motorists were stopped and standing out of their cars to watch the parade head to the cemetery. Two fire engines used their ladders to hoist a large American flag high into the sky.

At 2:40 p.m., Wednesday, central dispatch radioed in a final call for Wilbur.

"End of watch, Dec. 25, 2008."

Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at 863-386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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