‘A warrior in law enforcement;’ Community Honors Late Clark County Deputy Matthew Yates at Funeral – WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio

SPRINGFIELD — The Clark County community says a final farewell to the office of Clark County Sheriff Matthew Yates, now deceased.

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Yates was killed on July 24 after a suspect shot him while responding to reports of gunshots at a mobile home park near South Charleston.

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Yates’ funeral began at noon at First Christian Church on Middle Urbana Road in Springfield. After the service, he will be buried in Ferncliff Cemetery in Springfield.

The order of service has Pastor Darryl May opening the service. Scripture and prayer will be led by Pastor Bruce Sigman with obituary read by Marlene Avery.

Pastor May opened the service with a brief prayer and words. He said that, like many others, he had a lot of nice things to say about Yates.

Pastor Sigman said Yates was a hero and loved his family, his community, his country, his brothers and sisters in the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Sigman also took the time to offer a moment of silence to an Elwood, Indiana police officer who was fatally shot while on line duty Sunday.

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Clark County Sheriff Deborah Burchett offered her condolences to Deputy Yates’ family and thanked them for sharing Yates with the department.

“Matthew was a warrior in law enforcement,” Burchett said.

Burchett said Yates has dedicated his life to bettering his community and he will be overwhelmed with the outpouring of love sent to him last week.

She concluded her remarks by sending love to Yates.

“We have it from here, please rest in peace,” Burchett concluded.

Several deputies and members of the Sheriff’s Office and the Yates family remembered his humor, strength and leadership.

Deputy William Crump asked those present to close their eyes and think about their thoughts on Yates. For him, some of those words included honored, controlled, grateful, genuine, and dependable. He said those words were the legacy that will live on in everyone’s hearts and minds.

Deputy Matthew Harris said he had known Yates since he was nine years old. He called Yates a brother he could rely on for everything.

“He gave me an example of how to behave in that position,” Harris said.

Yates’ humor played a key role in remembering the deputy for many speakers. The stories told made the whole congregation laugh.

Likewise, Yates’ strength was also recalled.

“You knew if Matthew was there, everything would be fine,” Maj. Chris Clark said.

Yates’ stepsons, Anthony and Andrew Reed, called Yates the only father they ever knew.

“He didn’t just welcome us, he saved us,” said Anthony Reed.

Pastor May ended the service by delivering the eulogy celebrating and remembering Yates’ life as a man who “could cross culture and connect”.

To accommodate the motorcade today, the US 68 northbound ramp to State Route 41 and the US 68 northbound and southbound ramps to State Route 334 and State Route 41 will be closed between Upper Valley Pike and Bechtle Avenue.

During Yate’s visit on Sunday, residents wept, hugged and comforted each other. American flags and blue ribbons were wrapped around the trees outside the church as people shared their respects.

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“It’s just a great loss to the community,” said Denise Williams, president of NAACP Springfield. “He was an exceptional person. He was a servant of the community.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was among those who came to comfort Yates’ family.

He told News Center 7’s Brandon Lewis that this loss shows how difficult it can be to work in law enforcement.

“When a police officer or a sheriff’s deputy responds to a house, they never know for sure what’s inside and they don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “This should remind us all how difficult this job is.”

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Clark County Sheriff Deb Burchett told Lewis that she had known Yates since she was two years old, watched him grow up, and it was surreal and sad to know that Yates was not more there.

“I don’t know where we’re going to go from here. I really don’t know,” she told Lewis. “But we will, we have to get up, we have to stand up and we have to remember the memory of Matthew.”

Yates was just 41 and is described as a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.

Earlier this week, News Center 7 spoke with his father, a retired sheriff’s deputy, who said his son is his hero.

A Clark County Sheriff’s Deputy vehicle was parked in front of Springfield City Hall in honor of Yates.

There was a memorial walk Friday at the Clark County Fair in his memory.

A sheriff’s deputy told News Center 7’s Brandon Lewis on the march that they’ve been overwhelmed with community support this week.

Lewis also spoke with Luke’s Wings, an organization that covers travel expenses for family and friends of deceased officers, and they told him they had paid for the flights for two of Yates’ relatives to attend. out of state travel to Ohio in time for these services. .

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