- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Vigil honors life, service of fallen deputy
The Tuesday night tribute marked exactly one week since 50-year-old Deputy Rob Rumfelt died, becoming the fourth law enforcement officer in Lake County’s history to die while on the job.
Rumfelt died in Lakeport following a struggle with a domestic violence suspect and a subsequent crash in his SUV patrol vehicle while clearing the scene of the incident.
The District Attorney’s Office is leading the investigation into Rumfelt’s death and what led to it, with officials so far suggesting it may have been a medical emergency such as a heart attack that caused the crash. However, preliminary autopsy results haven’t made the circumstances any clearer.
As evening turned into night, a large crowd assembled in Library Park to honor Rumfelt, with local officials including Sheriff Brian Martin, District Attorney Don Anderson, Rumfelt’s cousin and District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon, and many members of local law enforcement and fire agencies among them.
“He was not just another cop,” said sheriff’s Chaplain Terry Cara, who led the service.
On Tuesday night, Rumfelt was recalled as a larger-than-life figure, friendly, adventurous, kind, concerned about not just his family and friends but strangers. Cara said Rumfelt also was a humble man.
“All this for Rob? He’d be embarrassed, I think,” said Cara.
Friend and fellow law enforcement officer Frank Gudmundson called him irreplaceable, a man who showed up and did his job with heart, and who loved Lake County.
Simon, his voice coming close to breaking, called his cousin “a real-life hero” who served in the US Marines before he returned to Lake County to serve in law enforcement.
Simon also recalled their mutual love of football and how his cousin used his police dog to playfully intimidate him.
The vigil was brought to a close by a powerful rendition of “Amazing Grace” sung by California Highway Patrol Officer Nick Powell as those gathered held up candles, cell phones and blue lights.
In the week since Rumfelt’s death, there has been powerful and moving signs of support across Lake County not just for his family but for law enforcement, as evidenced in events like Tuesday’s vigil.
On Thursday, hundreds of Lake County residents lined the route of the procession that brought his body home from Napa County – where it had been taken for the autopsy central to the investigation into the nature of his death – to Lakeport.
Sentiments, remembrances and condolences to his family have sprung up across social media as well as spots across the county.
One of those tributes is a handmade sign sitting in front of the “Welcome to Lucerne” sign that says, “Just Missing Rob, Our Hero,” and accompanied by a string of small American flags. The tribute was reportedly made by a woman who he had befriended, and who he checked on regularly during his passes through the town.
Tuesday night’s vigil illustrated how deeply Rumfelt connected with people around the community in his many roles – family man, friend, deputy, coach, mentor, big-hearted authority figure.
It also offered a reminder of how precious every life is, and the strength of connection amongst Lake County’s residents.
For the men and women in law enforcement and public safety jobs, Rumfelt’s sudden death on the job is a sharp, painful reminder of an unsettling reality – that their chosen profession is inherently dangerous, and even in a rural community it comes with no guarantees of going home safely to one’s family at the end of the shift.
As a result, debriefing and counseling have been taking place for first responders and law enforcement officers, a process assisted by the sheriff’s chaplain team.
In the midst of dealing with their grief and doing their day-to-day work, there are other events to prepare for as they bid their friend and coworker goodbye.
A public viewing is scheduled for noon to 8 p.m. Friday at Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, located at 1625 N. High St. in Lakeport.
The sheriff’s office and Rumfelt’s family also are gearing up for his memorial service, to be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at Don Owens Field at the Lakeport Unified School District Campus.
Officials are estimating several thousand people could be in attendance, with law enforcement agencies from around the United States and Canada expected to send representatives to show their respect.
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