Local officer killed in the line of duty finally recognized for his sacrifice nearly a century after his death
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David W. Waymire lived in Crane for 23 years and served as a law enforcement officer before being killed in the line of duty in 1927. (Photo Courtesy of: Kevin Moody of Moody’s Ozarks Traveler)
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Marshal Waymire’s great granddaughter and great great granddaughter attended the ceremony last week. (Photo Courtesy of: Kevin Moody of Moody’s Ozarks Traveler)
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Kadee Brosseau DeCourley
Nearly 100 years ago, just outside the small Missouri town of Crane, an officer by the name of David W. Waymire was shot and killed by a man he was trying to arrest. Marshal Waymire died a local hero but never received a hero’s honor…until last week.
When Stone County Historical and Genealogy Society members caught wind of Marshal Waymire’s sacrifice without proper recognition, they did what they do: opened a page of Stone County’s history book.
The woman to first take on the task of honoring Marshal Waymire was the late Kay Vinsand. She didn’t take the job lightly.
“Kay was never one to do something halfway,” Stone County Historical and Genealogical Society Secretary Charlotte Llewellyn said.
Vinsand had been told by someone working at the Missouri State Archives about Marshal Waymire’s seemingly half-forgotten sacrifice.
“[Vinsand] got together with the city police chief, who at the time was John Elmore, and they documented that this was actually an event, not just hearsay,” Llewellyn said.
However, it became clear that Marshal Waymire’s death hadn’t always gone unnoticed. An officer being shot in the line of duty is big news, especially back then in a small Stone County town.
“In 1927, this was very, very big news, not just locally but all over,” Llewellyn said.
It was news that Vinsand and the rest of the society believed deserved much more than black ink in old newspapers. So, they submitted paperwork to the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial and got Marshal Waymire’s name added to the memorial. They also helped get his name on the National Law Enforcement Memorial.
Still, to Vinsand, that didn’t seem like enough for a man who had given his life to protect the people and town he once loved. She wanted to have a ceremony, a way for the community to show their appreciation of Marshal Waymire and have a permanent symbol of his sacrifice placed at his grave.
Vinsand never got to see the ceremony or the plaque. After her death, the baton of honoring Marshal Waymire properly was passed to Llewellyn.
“We didn’t know what to do about this, as a Historical Society,” Llewellyn said.
Llewellyn started with the plaque for the grave. She soon realized she needed permission from Marshal Waymire’s family in order to put anything on his gravesite. That presented a problem. His widow had died more than 70 years ago, and no other descendants were evident. However, after lots of searching, Marshal Waymire’s great-great-granddaughter was found on Facebook. Llewellyn found a number for her and gave her a call.
“She was so excited about it. Of course, [she said] it was okay to go ahead with the footstone,” Llewellyn said.
The plaque is now at Marshal Waymire’s grave at a Crane cemetery, where his body lies beside his wife’s.
“[The footstone] is very simple, but it says what it needs to say and that is his name, his position, ‘end of watch,’ and the date,” Llewellyn said.
Marshal Waymire’s ceremony was set for May 14, 2022, 95 years and two months after his final ride as a law enforcement officer.
“I wanted everything to go perfectly. I wanted everything to be done just right,” Llewellyn said. “I had it down to a gnat’s eyelash.”
Last Saturday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol presented the colors during the ceremony. Steve Seaton did the invocation. The Crane Junior and High School choirs combined provided the music. Bruce Belin was the main speaker. State Representative Brad Hudson had a resolution from the House of Representatives, which Commissioner Hank Smythe presented. Senator Mike Moon presented a resolution from the State Senate to Marshal Waymire’s family. A symbolic candle lighting was lit by Crane Mayor Collin Brannan, which honored Marshal Waymire. The ceremony ended when the bagpipes played Amazing Grace. The Historical Society hosted a reception at the former American Legion building following the event.
“It was just stirring. It was just so emotional for me and for a lot of other people,” Llewellyn said.
People from Stone County and the surrounding area attended the ceremony. It brought out law enforcement officers, public officials, and community members.
“We really had a huge crowd of people. At least four counties were represented with uniformed officers, perhaps five,” Llewellyn said.
Before her, Llewellyn and Vinsand put in countless hours of work to ensure that Marshal Waymire’s memory and sacrifice were honored, but also that his family and his community were able to remember him as the true hero he was.
“It was just wonderful. It was late in coming, but the family appreciated it so much and I think the community appreciated it,” Llewellyn said. “I hope it meant as much to them as it meant to me.”
It was clear on that warm May day last week that sacrifice is sacrifice, whether it was yesterday or 100 years ago. A community is a community, whether a century separates its people or not. The community of Crane didn’t let ten decades dissolve the impact of Marshal Waymire’s service. It was clear that, in Stone County, people believe that honor should be given where honor is due.
Llewellyn said it best: “We did it because it was the right thing to do.”
Nearly 100 years ago, just outside the small Missouri town of Crane, an officer by the name of David W. Waymire was shot and killed by a man he was trying to arrest. Marshal Waymire died a local hero but never received a hero’s honor…until last week.
When Stone County Historical and Genealogy Society members caught wind of Marshal Waymire’s sacrifice without proper recognition, they did what they do: opened a page of Stone County’s history book.
The woman to first take on the task of honoring Marshal Waymire was the late Kay Vinsand. She didn’t take the job lightly.
“Kay was never one to do something halfway,” Stone County Historical and Genealogical Society Secretary Charlotte Llewellyn said.
Vinsand had been told by someone working at the Missouri State Archives about Marshal Waymire’s seemingly half-forgotten sacrifice.
“[Vinsand] got together with the city police chief, who at the time was John Elmore, and they documented that this was actually an event, not just hearsay,” Llewellyn said.
However, it became clear that Marshal Waymire’s death hadn’t always gone unnoticed. An officer being shot in the line of duty is big news, especially back then in a small Stone County town.
“In 1927, this was very, very big news, not just locally but all over,” Llewellyn said.
It was news that Vinsand and the rest of the society believed deserved much more than black ink in old newspapers. So, they submitted paperwork to the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial and got Marshal Waymire’s name added to the memorial. They also helped get his name on the National Law Enforcement Memorial.
Still, to Vinsand, that didn’t seem like enough for a man who had given his life to protect the people and town he once loved. She wanted to have a ceremony, a way for the community to show their appreciation of Marshal Waymire and have a permanent symbol of his sacrifice placed at his grave.
Vinsand never got to see the ceremony or the plaque. After her death, the baton of honoring Marshal Waymire properly was passed to Llewellyn.
“We didn’t know what to do about this, as a Historical Society,” Llewellyn said.
Llewellyn started with the plaque for the grave. She soon realized she needed permission from Marshal Waymire’s family in order to put anything on his gravesite. That presented a problem. His widow had died more than 70 years ago, and no other descendants were evident. However, after lots of searching, Marshal Waymire’s great-great-granddaughter was found on Facebook. Llewellyn found a number for her and gave her a call.
“She was so excited about it. Of course, [she said] it was okay to go ahead with the footstone,” Llewellyn said.
The plaque is now at Marshal Waymire’s grave at a Crane cemetery, where his body lies beside his wife’s.
“[The footstone] is very simple, but it says what it needs to say and that is his name, his position, ‘end of watch,’ and the date,” Llewellyn said.
Marshal Waymire’s ceremony was set for May 14, 2022, 95 years and two months after his final ride as a law enforcement officer.
“I wanted everything to go perfectly. I wanted everything to be done just right,” Llewellyn said. “I had it down to a gnat’s eyelash.”
Last Saturday, the Missouri State Highway Patrol presented the colors during the ceremony. Steve Seaton did the invocation. The Crane Junior and High School choirs combined provided the music. Bruce Belin was the main speaker. State Representative Brad Hudson had a resolution from the House of Representatives, which Commissioner Hank Smythe presented. Senator Mike Moon presented a resolution from the State Senate to Marshal Waymire’s family. A symbolic candle lighting was lit by Crane Mayor Collin Brannan, which honored Marshal Waymire. The ceremony ended when the bagpipes played Amazing Grace. The Historical Society hosted a reception at the former American Legion building following the event.
“It was just stirring. It was just so emotional for me and for a lot of other people,” Llewellyn said.
People from Stone County and the surrounding area attended the ceremony. It brought out law enforcement officers, public officials, and community members.
“We really had a huge crowd of people. At least four counties were represented with uniformed officers, perhaps five,” Llewellyn said.
Before her, Llewellyn and Vinsand put in countless hours of work to ensure that Marshal Waymire’s memory and sacrifice were honored, but also that his family and his community were able to remember him as the true hero he was.
“It was just wonderful. It was late in coming, but the family appreciated it so much and I think the community appreciated it,” Llewellyn said. “I hope it meant as much to them as it meant to me.”
It was clear on that warm May day last week that sacrifice is sacrifice, whether it was yesterday or 100 years ago. A community is a community, whether a century separates its people or not. The community of Crane didn’t let ten decades dissolve the impact of Marshal Waymire’s service. It was clear that, in Stone County, people believe that honor should be given where honor is due.
Llewellyn said it best: “We did it because it was the right thing to do.”