Tributes during the Year

Before the year ends we want to catch up with some tributes, memorials and dedications that may have been missed during 2008.

One of those tributes includes a candlelight vigil for Lt. Robert Curry with the Gulfport Police Department. He died Aug. 14 following a traffic accident on U.S. 49 while helping escort a funeral procession.

The vigil, which included a poker run, was held at Nate's, 11444 U.S. 49

Lt. Robert J. "Rob" Curry Laid to Rest

Lt. Robert J. "Rob" Curry

GULFPORT -- On Sunday and Monday, Aug. 17-18, family, officers and friends from across South Mississippi paid their respects to another lawman who lost his life within the first two weeks of August.

In an ironic twist of life, Lt. Robert Curry reportedly was fatally injured the morning of Aug. 14 while on his way to help accompany a funeral procession. Media reports said he was northbound on U.S. 49 when he was struck by a vehicle leaving the U.S. Post Office between Community and Dedeaux roads, just south of the funeral home.

Curry, 39, was head of the traffic division with the Gulfport Police Department and among officers of the motorcycle division.

Hundreds Mourn Fallen Gulfport Officer
Posted Aug. 18, 2008, @ www.wlox.com by Amanda McCoy/photographer

Just a week ago, Curry had organized the funeral procession for his longtime friend, new Jackson County sheriff's investigator Frederick Gaston III, who was killed Aug. 2 during an attempted robbery while traveling through Gastonia, N.C.

Just a week ago, Curry and other officers from Gulfport, Biloxi, Moss Point, Pascagoula and Gastonia remembered Gaston during visitation Aug. 8 at Riemann Funeral Home in Gulfport, and funeral services Aug. 9 at St. James Catholic Church on Cowan-Lorraine Road.

Curry, a 14-year member of Gulfport police, and Gaston were best friends during Gaston's 17 years on the force before the latter man headed to Moss Point in 2007, according to Gulfport officials. Gaston served as interim police chief in Moss Point for six months before becoming an investigator with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department in July.

Photo Gallery for funeral of Lt. Robert Curry
Posted Monday, Aug.18, 2008 @ www.sunherald.com

Both men were members of the Air Force, and Gaston was on his way to Virginia for reserve training when he was shot and killed during a stop-over in North Carolina. Police from that city visited South Mississippi to join the tribute to Gaston.

Still united as friends in death, visitation and funeral services for Curry also were held at Riemann and St. James. During a 7-mile procession that started early Monday morning, family, friends and law enforcement from across Mississippi stopped at the Fallen Officers memorial at the 34th Avenue police station in Gulfport.

In a day of moving tributes, the final one, a radio call for Lt. Curry, tells all units to STAND DOWN

Posted Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008 @ www.sunherald.com
Hundreds who paid their last respects Monday at the funeral of Gulfport Police Lt. Robert J. "Rob" Curry heard praise of his legacy. ....

OBITUARY

Lt. Robert Curry, age 39, of Woolmarket passed away Thursday, August 14, 2008 in Gulfport.

Lt. Curry began his employment with the Gulfport Police Department December 1, 1994, after having served his country in the United States Air Force during the Gulf War. He was currently serving as a lieutenant for the traffic division and district supervisor for Orange Grove.

Lt. Curry was the current president of the S.T.O.R.M. organization, after serving as secretary for many years. He was a hostage negotiator for Gulfport Police Department and a Master DUI instructor. He served as a DUI officer for several years, and was also a master SFST instructor. Lt. Curry was a member of MLEOA, PBA, and attended Coalville United Methodist Church. He also worked at Harrison County Police Academy as an instructor.

Lt. Curry held numerous law enforcement certifications and received numerous letters of appreciation during his career. He enjoyed racing, fishing, and playing softball. He also enjoyed training and instructing law enforcement and civilians in various areas.

"Rob's death is a tremendous loss to our police family. He has always embodied that which makes law enforcement an admirable job. There has never been a question as to his love of the job and the love of his fellow officers. Rob has recently been assigned as the Officer In Charge and operated a motorcycle everyday. It quickly became obvious his love of the motorcycle unit was fulfilling for him and a benefit to the traffic goals of the city."

Lt. Curry was preceded in death by his father, Richard Curry, and his sister, Patricia Curry.

Survivors include his loving wife of 13 years, Leslee Morrow Curry; daughter, Krysten Curry; son, Trevor Curry; mother, Dorothy (Bob) Gibson of New York; brothers, Jeff (Mary) Curry of New Hampshire and Steve (Ann) Curry of New York; nephew, Brandon (Kelly) Clark of Gulfport; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation was held Sunday, August 17, 2008, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Riemann Family Funeral Home, 11280 Three Rivers Road, Gulfport. Funeral service included a visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. Monday, August 18, 2008, at St. James Catholic Church in Gulfport. Interment followed in Coalville Cemetery.

An online guestbook may be viewed and signed at www.riemannfamily.com.

Lt. Col. Federick Joiner Gaston III

Gaston had extensive law, military career

Lt. Col. Frederick Joiner Gaston III, 49, and a resident of Biloxi, was killed in Gastonia, N.C., on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008, the victim of an armed robbery attempt. He was born March 27, 1959, at Johnson Air Force Base near Tokyo, Japan, and had resided in Biloxi since 1986.

As a child, he lived in Montgomery, Ala.; Misawa, Japan; Biloxi and then in Gulfport. Lt. Col. Gaston graduated from Gulfport East High School in 1977.

Upon receiving his bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1982, he became a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. He also earned a master's degree in telecommunications from USM.

After serving on active duty at Langley AFB, Va., and Keesler AFB in Biloxi, he continued in the active reserve of the United States Air Force and was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel. At the time of his death, he was traveling to Washington, D.C., to fulfill his active duty requirements in the Air Force.

He is survived by his loving wife of 22 years, Angela, and a son, William Lee Gaston, both of Biloxi; a daughter, Melissa Davis, and her husband, Chris Davis, and granddaughter, Naomi Davis, all of Metairie, La.; his parents, Frederick and Michiko Gaston Sr.; a sister and a brother, Anne Gaston and F. William Gaston Jr.; and three nephews, all of Gulfport.

Lt. Col. Gaston was serving as a deputy for the Jackson County Sheriff at the time of his death.

He joined the Moss Point Police Department as an officer in early 2007 and served as the Interim Police Chief for Moss Point from January to late June 2008. He was a Gulfport police officer for 17 years before leaving in early 2007 as a lieutenant.

For most of his years as a police officer he had been intensely involved in educational and enforcement programs targeting prevention of alcohol abuse by drivers. Immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, his Air Force Reserve unit headquarters called him into special active duty assignment to assist with physical security planning because of his valuable law enforcement expertise.

In his diversified roles as a communications officer with the Air Force and his law enforcement service, he took full advantage of all his knowledge and experience by using his knowledge in all areas to provide the most comprehensive and optimal solutions to all his endeavors.

He used his computer skills to help move the Gulfport Police Department into the computer age for all patrolmen. Frederick had also provided his service for security detail at Barnes and Noble bookstore.

Officer Down Memorial/Moss Point

Gaston believed in serving and protecting to provide everyone with a safer community.
He had an uncanny knack for working with people to promote harmony in diverse communities, as evidenced by his work with Curley Clark, the Jackson County NAACP president.

Frederick believed strongly in serving and protecting his local community and was planning on running again for a Harrison County Justice Court judgeship.

Visitation was held Aug. 8 at St. James Catholic Church, 366 Cowan Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.

A Celebration of Life Service was Aug. 9 at St. James Catholic Church, where friends visited one hour prior to the service. Interment followed at the National Cemetery in Biloxi, with full military honors rendered by the United States Air Force.

The Riemann Family Funeral Home, 274 Beauvoir Road in Biloxi is in charge of arrangements. For more information, please call (228)388-9516.

Tragedy Strikes South Mississippi: Officer Shot Dead

Frederick Gaston professional, gentleman
"Now he's gone ... just like that."

The death of former Moss Point interim Police Chief Fred Gaston shocked and saddened law enforcement and residents across South Mississippi, especially in the four cities where he had lived since his teen years, and had worked for the past 18 years.

I heard about the Aug. 2 shooting on the following Sunday evening while watching WLOX news. Didn't want to believe it. My mind said "What! No! .... Right now, I can't describe completely the wave of denial that went through my heart.

That he was such a likeable person, a great personality was my underlying feeling. I'd just gotten to know him. Now he was gone ... just like that.

Well-Known Crime Fighter Murdered

The fact that he was shot during an attempted robbery made his death that much more of a tragedy.

... You never know how or when your time will be up. Most of us, anyway.

As a news reporter, I appreciated his cooperative attitude. While working at WKFK television station I'd talked to him about several stories, the first which was a minor-scandal about a Pascagoula resident who promoted a fishing rodeo in Moss Point then skipped town when the event didn't generate the participation and money he'd expected.

Turns out the flop was not intentional, but did generate both negative and positive publicity for Moss Point and Gaston, who, along with Recreation Director Donna Joseph, Jennifer Flanagan, secretary to the mayor, and other city personnel made extra efforts to minimize the damage to fishing tournament vendors and expectant participants.

Gaston said the fact that the tournament was held in Moss Point gave the city a black eye, but recreation officials said it didn't really affect the city's River Jamboree, though the promoter had attached the name of the tournament to the annual event.

As interim police chief, it was surprising how accessible he was to the media.

He didn't mind answering hard questions, but understandably kept some information unavailable to protect cases he and Moss Point officers were handling, such as with the fishing rodeo promoter and the controversy surrounding charges of police brutality in Moss Point. He was very professional and a gentleman, offering to help carry video camera equipment after our interviews were completed.

Though he was vying for the chief's job he'd held from January to June, and was disappointed he did not get it, he was supportive when former Pascagoula officer Shelia Smallman was chosen.

Gaston had said he enjoyed working in Moss Point; he liked the residents and believed they liked him. While interim chief and candidate he had progressive plans for improving technology in the Moss Point Police Department, something he'd done while working in Gulfport. He wanted more officers and pay increases, which Smallman also wanted, has requested and received.

He and Mayor Xavier Bishop traded hostile and accusatory words over the reason Gaston didn't get the nod for permanent police chief. Bishop accused Gaston of causing a decrease in officers; Gaston said Bishop ran them off.

(This blogger is happy for and supportive of the new chief, and as of now, Smallman seems to be doing a good job.)

Gaston went on to become an investigator with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, and Moss Point lost a good law enforcement officer. After his death, Sheriff Mike Byrd praised Gaston and provided media information about Gaston's shooting death in Gastonia, N.C.

Regardless of the flap with Mayor Bishop, Gaston may have gone on anyway. At the time, it seemed he was looking for more from his career than where he'd been before the interim chief's job. Until then, he'd been in administration while in Moss Point, though he had a broad background of police work while serving with the Gulfport Police Department.

Former Moss Point Police Chief Killed
Aug. 4, 2008

When Gaston was shot in the chest about midnight Aug. 2, he was on his way to Air Force Reserve training. He'd stopped to rest for the night at a Microtel motel, and was retrieving his belongings from his vehicle when accosted by two North Carolina teenagers and killed.

Rakcam Jamall Fleming, 16, of Gastonia and 17-year-old Tommy Dean Battiste of Bessemer City have been charged with first-degree murder. Battiste also has been charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.

Progress in this case will be updated as appropriate. Readers may access links found in this post for facts about the shooting, law enforcement and community reaction to the death of Frederick Joiner Gaston's death, obituary, and visitation and funeral services that were handled by Riemann Family Funeral Home.

(Permission for use of obituary, photo granted by Riemann Family Funeral Home. Some information for public use.)

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TO PROTECT AND SERVE
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