Colerain Township Police Officer Dale Woods' family heard what they already knew at his funeral Monday.

“Your dad’s a hero," Colerain Police Chief Mark Denney told his three children. "And being a hero doesn’t require that you die in a fiery explosion or that you have some innate skill for carrying a football or a tune.

"But it does require you be willing to give everything, including your life, for a purpose greater than yourself. And if that doesn’t describe your dad, I don’t know what does."

Officer Dale Woods, 46, died Jan. 7 after being hit by a pickup truck Jan. 4 as he worked at the scene of a crash.

Family, friends, and colleagues gathered at Xavier University's Cintas Center for the final farewell service for Officer Dale Woods on Monday. The service followed a weekend of processions and visitation to allow the community to pay its respects and private visitations and ceremonies for family and colleagues.

A somber stillness in the Cintas Center was broken as a lone bagpipe played followed by Woods’ flag-draped casket, escorted by fellow officers.

Music and speakers set the tone for what was a remembrance of Woods, a man of many interests who lived to serve his community and loved his family and three children.

James Love, the chaplain for Colerain Township Police Department, spoke of Woods’ interest in music, car detailing business, and his love of golf.

He also spoke of his commitment to serving his community.

“To serve and protect was more than a motto to him,” Love said.

Colerain Police Chief Mark Denney talked about the "kind of man" Woods was calling him a "cop's cop." He was there whatever the need.

Choking back tears, speaking directly to Woods' children, Trinity, Hallie and Collin, Colerain Township Trustee Raj Rajagopal called Woods a "hero." He was not the first to directly address Woods' children nor the last.

In presenting a Bible reading, Love said that that one day, everyone's story will be told. Today is for sharing Woods' story, he said.

Early in life, Woods decided what his story would be, Love said. It would be a story about a life dedicated to service. He never got a factory job. He only took jobs where he was in service to people.

"Dale got up every day knowing full well what he was doing that day," Love said. Not only was he doing what he wanted, but it was the right thing, he said.

In closing, Love said, we need to make a promise to Dale Woods.

"We will tell the story of Dale and that his story will continue on even though he's not here," he said.

Following the service, a procession left Cintas traveling to Spring Grove Cemetery for a final service in the Rose Garden.

Looking to pay their respects to fallen Woods, people lined Spring Grove Avenue, watching and waiting for the funeral procession.

The usually busy street was so silent you could hear the purr of car engines as police cruisers from all over the Tristate passed. It was a long line of cars, SUVs and fire apparatus and took more than a half-hour to pass the Frisch’s on Spring Grove Avenue.

People stood, some with flags, some with their hand over their heart, to honor Woods.

Fairfield resident Jon Pernell said he came because he thinks it’s important to honor a man who served his community — his father was a firefighter, so he knows the sacrifices those men make. He said he wanted to show his respect for the officer’s family and fellow officers.

Ethan Glunt, 20, waited for the procession on the roof of his truck, an American flag affixed to the back.

“I grew up with Dale’s kids,” he said. “I wanted to show my support for the family and the police.”

Gary Wenstrup was in the North College Hill Explorer’s Post when Dale Woods was a firefighter there. He knew Woods from his days as a police officer in that city, as well.

“When I was 15 or 16, I was out past curfew and he stopped me,” he said, grinning at the memory. “He was cool. Took me home, but dropped me off a couple doors from the house so I wouldn’t get in trouble with my folks.”

He said a video showing Woods playing ball with some kids in the neighborhood in Colerain Township happened not far from his home.

“It’s important to have that in a community,” Wenstrup said. “There is a lot going on and people forget about the good that police do. You want to teach your kids that police are good people."

He waved the Back the Blue Flag as the procession passed.

“I bought it when Sonny Kim was killed,” he said. “I say thanks to all of them. We need to support our police.”

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