Video: Columbus Police Officer Dies of Cancer

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COLUMBUS, Miss.(WCBI)–A brave warrior with the Columbus Police Department looses his battle with stomach cancer, but those who knew him say he won at the game of life and served well in uniform.

When Officer Raymond Hackler with the Columbus Police traffic division came on board in 2006, Kelvin Lee a smiling outgoing officer was among the first to welcome him to the force.

“He found out that I was you know prior military and of course he was prior marine corps and I’m prior air force so we use to jive at each other about that but it was all in good fun. And he was just, he really made me feel welcome here,” said Raymond Hackler/CPD-Traffic Division.

“And he would tell you that its Kelvin, and its not Kevin ha, ha, ha,” said Rhonda Sanders/CPD-Public Relations.

“Oh he was an outstanding officer. Very caring, he liked people and a lot of people liked him,” said Don Richardson/Patrol Officer.

Diligent, honest, direct, and dedicated, are words being used to describe the veteran law enforcer, fading off into the sunset much too early.

“He would solve most of his cases with burglaries and any kind of crime. Kelvin was just one of those people who loved people and loved being a police officer,” said Rhonda Sanders.

“He and I actually worked in the criminal division together and thats when he started to have some health problems,” said Raymond Hackler.

As medical bills mounted so did volunteer efforts aimed at benefits in his honor. Over 700 people showed up for a huge successful fish fry. And then there was the benefit at Skate Zone in Columbus. Towards the end as his health continued declining, the people he protected and served were doing their best to serve him.

“He loved Columbus, he loved his job, he loved, he worked his way up the ranks to detective and he loved what he did and he did it well,” said Don Richardson.

“We’ve lost a wonderful person, a dedicated police officer, and the most important thing we lost was our brother and a man who loved his wife and kids,” said Rhonda Sanders.

Family members and friends are also mourning the loss of Officer Lee’s mother who died the same day he did.

Detective Kelvin Lee was 51.