Gone, but not forgotten. Family, police and the community remembered Officer Joe Crowder during a memorial service Tuesday afternoon.
The K-9 handler for Boynton Beach police died during a jog last month.
“It’s been hard on the family,” admitted one of Crowder’s sister Sabrina Nesbitt.
Crowder’s legacy lives on through his family and police community.
“He was a family man, great dad, a drummer, a great brother. We all loved him,” said Nesbitt.
“A man with the warmest of smiles,” described police Chief Jeff Katz.
He had some phrases like ‘I’m chilling,’ or ‘everything’s cool.’ That was Joe,” remembered fellow K-9 officer Mark Sohn.
Crowder was a laid back father of two boys who could crack jokes one minute, then chase down bad guys with his K-9 the next.
“No matter what you asked him, it was always the same reply, ‘I got you, bro.’”described roommate Officer Brian Adams, who also serves in the K-9 squad.
Nesbitt wants you to remember her brother for three simple traits.
“Humble, honest and respectful,” she said.
The police chief said those traits followed Crowder to heaven, where he continues doing what he was called to do.
“It is the day Joe stopped protecting us in the human form, but as an angel,” he said.
Crowder served in the Boynton Beach police department for 14 years. He was also a staff sergeant in the US Army Reserves.