Fallen Canonsburg Officer Laid To Rest Following Emotional Service
CANONSBURG (KDKA) - It's a time of mourning in Canonsburg.
Thousands gathered for the funeral for Officer Scott Bashioum, who was killed in the line of duty last week.
Today's funeral was held at noon at the Church of the Covenant in Washington. The service ended around 1:15 p.m. and the procession to the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies began.
Officer Bashioum served 29 years in the United States Air Force and received full military honors.
The church service was centered around scripture lesson John 15:13.
"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."
- PHOTO GALLERY: Fallen Canonsburg Officer Laid To Rest
Officer Bashioum's wife, Ashley, delivered an emotional eulogy.
"Scott always vowed to make his life as a police officer count for something, and I think it's safe to say he has succeeded," she said.
She described her husband as the rock of their family. She said when he came home from work, he always had a smile on his face and hugs for everyone, no matter the kind of day he had.
"I know that Scott is in a better place, and it's difficult to put into words how much he meant to me and how much I will miss him, but I will be eternally grateful for each day spent with him, each laugh and for each smile," she said.
As a Christmas gift, she wrote something she loved about him on the ribbon of 365 Hershey's Kisses. While she filled out one full year's worth, she said she could have written enough for many years.
When she finished her speech, she turned to the casket and through tears said, "I love you, Scott. This is not goodbye, but until we meet again. Rest in peace, your brothers and sisters in blue will take it from here."
Officer James Saieva, who was wounded in last week's ambush, served as an honorary pallbearer.
Hundreds of officers from around the country arrived to pay their final respects.
"A loss of one of us hurts all of us, we come from an organization called the Brotherhood for the Fallen," NYC Police Officer David Callan said. "We feel it's a need for us to be there, help console the family and bring solace to them."
"I grew up 15 minutes from here. Friends and family in the area, it's a show of respect. A small town when they get hit with something like this, it's never happened before. It's a train wreck for them. A lot of people have never seen anything like this before," Border Patrol Officer Christopher Michaloski said.
The procession to the cemetery passed through Canonsburg, where ladder trucks hoisted an American flag over Pike Street. Officer Bashioum was also a life-long member of the Slovan Volunteer Fire Department.
At the Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Officer Bashioum was escorted by four police motorcycles. His graveside service was one with full military honors because of his long service in the Air Force, which began after he graduated from Burgettstown High School. After 29 years in military, he retired from the service as a Senior Master Sergeant.
As pipers played "Amazing Grace," a sea of law enforcement personnel stood silently at attention and his widow was given the American flag that had covered his casket.
A 21 Gun Salute echoed through the chill autumn afternoon. Then, the service concluded with a brief but poignant Washington County 911 radio transmission.
The dispatcher said, "Washington Control, Badge 103, Officer Scott Bashioum has now ended his tour."
After the ceremony at the cemetery, an event to celebrate Officer Bashioum's life was held at the Washington County Fairgrounds.
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