Sergeant Gary Lee Cooley, 43, of Kansas City, Mo., passed away September 12, 2013. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at Crown Pointe Assembly of God, 5950 NE Lakewood Way, Lee's Summit, Mo. Burial with police honors will follow at Mt. Washington Cemetery. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the Church. Gary was born July 17, 1970, in Kansas City to John and Carol Cooley. He graduated from Englewood Christian Academy in 1988 as the Valedictorian of his class and received his Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Park University in 1998. He joined the Kansas City Missouri Police Department as a civilian employee on Aug. 1, 1988, and entered the Police Academy in September of 1992. He was commissioned as Police Officer on Feb. 21, 1993, and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on June 20, 1999. His children will receive a ring Sept. 26, at a ceremony performed by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department honoring his 25 years of continued service. His children were his life and he spent most of his time involved in his family's activities. He is preceded into death by two grandfathers and one grandmother. He is survived by his three children, Courtney, Hanna and Caden, all of the home; parents, John and Carol Cooley; grandmother, Betty Cooley; two brothers, John Cooley Jr., Jason Cooley and his fiance, Jana DeShay. He is also survived by many others in his large loving family. Family and friends may leave messages of condolences at www.nolandroadchapel.com. Arr.: D.W. Newcomer's Sons Noland Road Chapel, (816) 252-8900. D.W. Newcomer's Sons Funeral Homes, Cemeteries, Crematories. 816-252-8900 www.nolandroadchapel.com

Published in Kansas City Star on September 15, 2013