VAN WERT, Ohio (WLIO) — The Van Wert community honored the service of a fallen deputy 90 years after he was killed in the line of duty.
Van Wert Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 62 and the Van Wert Sheriff’s Office hosted a memorial service honoring Deputy Forrest Leroy Good. Retired Chief Deputy Brian Ellerbrock discovered that Good died in the line of duty in April 1935, and no formal memorial service had ever been conducted in his honor.
Good was investigating the theft of grain near the Ohio-Indiana border when he was shot and killed during a struggle with a man they were questioning about the crime. The FOP said Good’s sacrifice needed to be recognized, even nearly a century after his death.
“You know, being retired in the law enforcement field and the other officers who are here today, we have affinity to people who served. We understand the dangers, and we feel that it's just appropriate that if somebody serves and loses their life, that they be recognized and given a memorial for it,” said Bruce Showalter, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 62.
A plaque will be hung at the Van Wert County Sheriff’s Office honoring Good and serving as a reminder of the dangers of law enforcement work.
“Deputy Good displayed the bravery and courage required of the deputy sheriff, his actions stopped this man from escaping, and safeguarded the citizens of Van Wert County from harm, sacrificing his life to protect the lives of Van Wert County residents, Sheriff Stevens and the parole officer who were on scene that day,” said Sheriff Tom Riggenbach, Van Wert County.
“Our cherished freedoms do not come without a price. His sacrifice is the reason we continue to live in a nation of freedom and opportunity,” said Stan Owens, Van Wert County commissioner and former sheriff.
The FOP Lodge 62 made Good an honorary member and plans to place a marker on his grave recognizing that he was killed in the line of duty while serving Van Wert County.
