Dickson County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Daniel Baker, a Marine veteran many locals grew to know and trust with their lives in his 10 years of service, was laid to rest Tuesday.
The date marks nearly one week since Baker, a husband with a young daughter, was killed in the line of duty while checking on a suspicious vehicle in rural south Dickson County.
Hundreds of people filled the First Baptist Church for the two hour tribute to his life.
"I think it's awesome bringing the community together like this, I think it's really cool to see that because you don't get to see it too often," said Dickson resident Teddy Edney.
It started with a eulogy given by Dickson First Baptist Pastor Mike Miller and Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe. Both considered Baker, 32, a great friend.
Baker's friends described him as a person who loved his family, loved to fish, and loved to laugh.
"He was just a happy go lucky guy. He always had a smile. He genuinely cared and I think that's what set him apart from a lot of people," Baker's friend Janice Sadler said.
The final resting place is Dickson County Memorial Gardens on Highway 70.
Many veterans honored Baker’s military service prior to his law enforcement career. Among those were members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association Chapter 18-10, representing Dickson, Williamson, Hickman and Humphreys counties.
Michael Lampley, member of the motorcycle chapter, said as a military member and in law enforcement, the country, community and team are more important than yourself.
“Your job is to make sure your team’s lives are saved and you get the job done. His sole purpose is to protect everyone else. You don’t think about yourself. You think about the masses,” Lampley said. “In both the military and law enforcement, you become brothers. And we’re taught to watch out for each other, so we’re just here trying to support him and his surviving family members as they struggle with this tragedy.”
“You want everybody to come home, but sometimes that doesn’t happen,” Lampley added.
Monday visitation
Inside and outside First Baptist Church Dickson, friends, family and strangers gathered Monday afternoon to pay their respects to Baker.
Along with tears and hugs, mourners who personally knew Baker shared stories about a man who did “many great things in a life that ended too soon.” Strangers also spoke of his service to the community, his bravery and his “senseless death.”
Mourners in the long line, stretching from Baker’s casket to the church’s narthex, waited patiently to express sympathy to Baker’s family members standing near the American flag-draped casket.
Fellow law enforcement officers, dressed in uniform as a sign of solidarity and respect, comforted one another and were embraced by citizens, who expressed thanks for their service.
And across the face of their badges, the officers donned stretchy black honor bands, imprinted with the number 95, Baker’s badge number, in honor of the fallen officer.