On behalf of the City of Columbus, its Mayor, City Council, employees, their families and all citizens of Columbus, I extend our sincerest and deepest condolences to the family and friends of Robert E. Connor, Junior.

Although we are saddened by our loss, we join with you today in this celebration of his goin' home.

Robert Edmund Connor, Jr.

To me, like so many others, he was Chief Connor, and most of the time we just simply called him Chief.

There were times however, when it wasn't official business between us, it was personal, and I called him Robert.

Today it's personal.

Robert and I had a special bond of respect and trust.

I knew that whatever he did as our Chief of Police he did out of a pure and proper motive, and always with the best interest of the people of Columbus in mind. I had complete faith in his leadership. Chief Connor demonstrated that he could take control of any situation. When he did, you knew that everything was going to be okay.

Robert took the responsibility of being Chief of Police very seriously. If something happened in Columbus he was there. If there was a big event, he was there. If he needed to be on the job at 4am, he was here. If he had a concern about the City on a weekend or holiday, he was here. If he was ill and should have been home in bed, he would sneak in the back door to check on us, and he was here. Only when God called him home did Robert leave his post.

Robert was a good Chief.

Robert was a good man. He was a big man. Everything about him was big. His handshake. His generosity. His smile and his knowing grin. His compassion. His laugh. His broad shoulders. And biggest of all was his heart.

Robert was proud, and he liked to brag, not on himself but on others.

He was proud of his family. He was proud of his wife, Deanna. He was proud of a daughter studying nursing, Stacie. He was proud of his brothers, sisters and extended family. The first day I set foot in Chief's office I noticed a small black and white picture of Robert Connor, Sr. in uniform on the wall behind his desk. Robert was especially proud of his father, and that he had followed in his father's footsteps in the Columbus Police Department. Robert always had a pearl of wisdom that started, "My father used to say. . ."

He was proud of his friends and of their accomplishments. Many of you are here today and I know you because Robert introduced us. If we have not yet met, you should know that Robert is introducing us today.

He was proud of his fraternity and fraternity brothers. If there was a note pad or scratch paper on his desk, chances are that Robert will have drawn the Greek letter Omega on it. Omega Psi Phi was on his computer's screen saver. It was his e-mail address. And when Robert made his own special music CDs for me he would simply label them Omega Mix. Omega was on his arm and it was on his heart.

He was proud of his fellow masons and the good they accomplished together. He was proud of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas and invited Linda and I as his guests to the family banquet in Houston this last June, an honor we will never forget.

He was proud of the youth camp and the boys who attended. He would share photographs of the boys and activities at the camp.

And as we looked at the photographs together he would beam and tell me stories as if each were his own son.

He was proud of Columbus. As Police Chief he took good care of us. As a person he cared for us. Whether it was Crime Stoppers or the Colorado County Fair, Robert was engaged. If Robert didn't know everyone in Columbus it sure seemed like he did. Robert played an especially active role with the community youth. He was always the first to support or propose youth programs and he always personally participated. Robert often helped those who could not help themselves. And he liked to share Columbus with his friends. If you traveled here today chances are pretty good that Robert had already brought you to Columbus before. Welcome back.

He was proud of the Columbus Police Department and its officers. He always put his officers before himself. He worked hard to improve the department and to see that the officers received the compensation and recognition they so richly deserved.

Robert, I'm proud of you.

There was a joke, a story if you will, that Robert was particularly fond of this year. I know that he told this story to many of you. For us it had special meaning. See Robert and I knew that we were both zebras and it didn't make any difference whether we were white with black stripes or black with white stripes.

I'm a better man for having known Robert Connor, Jr.

The world is a better place for having known Robert Connor, Jr. He gave more than he took.

Robert, we miss you.