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10 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 8, 2006 Colleagues mourn loss of Halton Staff Sergeant Thirty-five-year veteran just finished overnight shift By Krissie Rutherford O A K V IL L E B E A V E R S T A F F The Halton Regional Police Service is mourning the sudden loss of one of its long-serving officers. Staff Sergeant Don Leroux, a 35-year veteran of the force who began his career with the Oakville Police Department, suf fered sudden heart failure on Saturday. The 58-yearold Burlington resident leaves behind his wife of 37 years, Hilary, three daugh ters, Michelle, Melanie and Collette, and three grand children. "He was a gentleman's gentleman, a loving hus band, a proud father and a loving grandfather," said Inspector Bill Ford, Leroux's long-time friend who will deliver the eulogy at his funeral this morning. "There's a flood of mem ories that come to mind. The two feelings I have are a profound sense of loss, but I also just feel so blessed to have had such a wonderful friend." Leroux had finished working the Friday overnight shift when he began experiencing chest pains on Saturday morn ing. Hilary brought him to the Oakville-Trafalgar Staff Sergeant Don Leroux Memorial Hospital, but he was then transferred to Mississauga's Trillium Health Centre, where he died at 2:45 p.m. "This was just so shock ing to the organization," said Chief Ean Algar, who worked on and off with Leroux during his 35 years of police service. "The orga nization's been so somber since the passing away of Don. I know when I came in on Monday morning, it felt like a cloudy day." Leroux's positive atti tude, Algar says, was some thing they could count on. "Don's the kind of guy who, it didn't matter if you were working with him or not, you'd just go around to see him - he had that uplifting, positive attitude that just put you in a good mood," he said. "I can't remember Don ever being down. He just brings that ray of sunshine to the day." The night before his passing, Leroux, who raised his family in Oakville before recently moving to Burlington, treated his "We've lost a member of our police family. He's a very wellrespected officer, very well-liked and certainly a pride to our service." Halton Regional Police ChiefEan Algar ! j j i Purchase A Hi-Efficiency Furnace And R eceive A Q u a lit y Fresh Roses! order early] FREE CENTRAL (Installation E xtra) Plus: NO Payment NO Interest For « Months Reserve Now And You Will Receive A Central Air Absolutely Free. This Is A Great Opportunity To Replace Your Old Inefficient Furnace And Air Conditioner With Hi Efficiency And Greatly Reduce Your Utility Bill. $ 4 9 .9 8 1Dozen, reg. $59.99 Etobicoke/East Mississauga 2069 Burnhamthorpe Road E. 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In addition to being a constable during the first 14 years of his career in Oakville and Milton, Leroux was also a Coach Officer, 'breathalyzer technician, Special Weapons Unit Officer and Criminal Investigations Detective Constable. In 1985, he was promot ed to Sergeant and assigned Patrol Sergeant duties in Halton Hills. After being promoted to Staff Sergeant four years ago, Leroux was transferred back to Oakville and worked as a Uniform Staff Sergeant managing platoons. "He became one of my closest friends. We went on fishing trips, hiking trips together," said Ford, who had planned to watch the Super Bowl with Leroux and Hilary, and had a fish ing trip scheduled with him for this spring. "Certainly we had a lot in common - our love for policing and our love for our families. Actually, fami lies first and policing sec ond."' That love for his family is som ething officers brought up time and again in their descriptions of Leroux. "He was ferociously ded icated to his family, and I think that's how he'd like to be'remembered," said Staff Sergeant Ken Cormier, who worked with Leroux for 32 years and was also a neigh bour to him in Oakville. "We used to help each other with household proj ects," said Cormier. "I remember him at the end of a day of roofing at my house, limping off my roof, but he was back the next day to help me finish it." Then there are the memories on the golf course. "Don was fairly well known for scoring in met ric," said Cormier, laugh ing. "He didn't know how to count when it came to golf scoring and we con stantly, constantly ribbed him about that." "I was always amazed at his golf score," added Algar. "He had a great sense of the value of life and the value of relationships and family. "We've lost a member of our police family. He's a very well-respected officer, very well-liked and certain ly a pride to our service." 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