Funeral Plans for Fallen Police Officer

Funeral services for Police Sgt. Korby Kennedy, who was killed in a traffic accident while on duty Thursday evening, will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Foster Communications Coliseum, 50 E. 43^rd St. The public is invited.

Friday, most in San Angelo attempted to reconcile with the tragedy that happened the evening prior. The San Angelo Police Department special detail returned from Lubbock at approximately 3 p.m.

Blue ribbons were tied around many trees and light posts along U.S. 87 as law enforcement personnel from multiple agencies rendezvoused in Water Valley in their cruisers, SUVs, and patrol cycles to escort the detail transporting the body of Kennedy back home from an autopsy in Lubbock. As the long procession made its way down Bryant, citizens lined the highway from the city limits to Twohig Ave. to honor and respect one of San Angelo’s finest.

The procession ended at Johnson’s Funeral Home where family and police requested privacy and no photos be taken.

Inside the funeral home, Chief of Police Tim Vasquez and fellow law enforcement officers from all divisions were gathered waiting to pay their respects.

In an emotional statement made by Travis Griffin of the San Angelo Coalition of Police (SACOP) of which Kennedy was the president, he thanked the community on behalf of the SAPD for the overwhelming support in this time of grief.

“The outpouring of support from the public has been unreal and incredible,” said Griffin.  “The support the citizens have shown means the world. We have established a fund honoring Sgt. Korby Kennedy at First Financial Bank.”

The Korby Kennedy Memorial Fund has been established at the bank for those wishing to make a donation for Kennedy’s family. Donations can be made at one of three First Financial Bank locations:

• 301 W. Beauregard Ave.
• 3471 Knickerbocker Road.
• Inside H-E-B at 3301 Sherwood Way.

Checks should be made payable to the Korby Kennedy Memorial Fund.

Donations also can be mailed to First Financial Bank, 301 W. Beauregard Ave., San Angelo, TX 76903, or delivered to the San Angelo Police Department’s Community Services Building at 505 S. Chadbourne St.

Vigils

Friday night, two vigils were held. The first, at 9 p.m. was at the scene of the tragic accident in the 3200 block of Knickerbocker Road. There, about 30 citizens and family members gathered for a release of black and blue balloons.  Also there was Ami Fizell-Flint, who currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the San Angelo ISD. She said she remembered Kennedy’s dedication to his daughters.

“I always think of Korby as the perfect dad. His daughters had been modeling at the fashion shows at the mall. I remember him coming in uniform to be a part of that, which means to me that he was taking time off work to be with his daughters,” she said. “In addition to being an outstanding police officer and an outstanding member of our community, the most important thing to him was family.”

An hour later, members, family and friends of the San Angelo Police Department met at the police station on E. Beauregard for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Kennedy.

“Korby was a regular visitor in my office. And the thing I always gave him a hard time about were the sunglasses on the back of his head. Every time I saw him getting interviewed on TV or in a picture online, he’d have those sunglasses sitting on the back of his head. And Korby would just say, ‘I forgot!’ when I told him to take those glasses off,” Police Chief Tim Vasquez said.

“Korby and I had a very unique relationship. I promoted him to sergeant when I became the chief… He was free to come into my office and we’d step outside sometimes and have very serious discussions about issues facing the department,” Vasquez said.

Vasquez trusted Kennedy’s judgment and counted on him to execute well. One issue Vasquez unleashed Kennedy on last year was negotiating a pay raise for the police with the City of San Angelo staff.

“The Meet and Confer process was a very difficult situation, but it wasn’t until Korby became (SACOP) president that I really could feel that it started to get some movement,” Vasquez said.

“Korby and I had a lot of mutual respect for each other. I loved Korby. He made me mad; he made me happy. He made me very proud of him. I was very proud of all that he did and I never felt more comfortable as the chief to have him over the Traffic Division. If I gave him a task, I knew it was always going to get done.”

Officer Raymond Francis relayed how Kennedy was liked and more importantly, respected by his peers. Sometimes fellow officers would poke at Kennedy’s no-nonsense demeanor.

“I would try to give Korby grief just for fun. He had this look he’d give you. He’d look at you and you’d just wait for him to say something, and I can’t say it exactly, but it was like ‘are you kidding me?’” Officer Francis said.

“My daughter met Korby when she was in the 5^th grade. And there was something about Korby that made him her favorite cop,” Officer Tracy Gonzalez said. Her daughter is 22 today.

“When she’d come into his office, both my daughter and Korby had grumpy faces they would put on, and would often have a stare contest. They’d stare at each other until one of them broke out laughing,” Gonzalez said.

The man that Kennedy was, Gonzalez said, comes through when working closely with him, like during Police Week, an annual project where Korby was an organizer. “He was one of those guys who never stops. He is always moving things forward, usually working to help someone else.” Gonzalez said.

“He tries to come across as tough and maybe a little gruff. But it’s all smoke and mirrors. He was really just a big teddy bear,” Gonzalez said.

Monday’s City Schedule

Most City of San Angelo offices will be closed from noon to 5 p.m. Monday to allow City employees to attend the service. Only City personnel involved in essential operations, such as water production and public safety, will work Monday afternoon, as is normally the case during a holiday.

“We are grief-stricken by this tremendous loss,” City Manager Daniel Valenzuela said. “Please keep Korby’s family in your prayers.”

Amanda Henson and John Basquez contributed to this report. City of San Angelo Public Affairs Officer Anthony Wilson provided the details of the funeral , city closing, and memorial fund.