Mount Prospect officer laid to rest amid emotional ceremonies
A well-loved officer and family man, who fulfilled a second calling as a Mount Prospect police officer later in life, was laid to rest Saturday flanked by fellow officers from surrounding suburbs.
About 100 officers stood in the pouring rain to salute Lawrence E. “Larry” Rosenbarski, 58, whose casket was carried in a maroon-colored hearse. A motorcade included officers from Mount Prospect, Prospect Heights, Elk Grove Village, Inverness and other departments while the Bagpipes and Drums of the Emerald Society and Chicago Police officers welcomed the family at St. Stephen Church in Des Plaines for the funeral Mass.
“Larry was very proud of his service and very brave. He'll be dearly missed,” said Aubrey Englund of Cary, a longtime family friend.
An avid sports fan, Rosenbarski loved the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs, especially after the World Series win, said another family friend, Pam Wilkes of Wonder Lake. “He loved his sports, especially the Cubs and we all went together to see the World Series trophy in Wrigleyville,” she said.
Rosenbarski, of Lake in the Hills, died March 18 after suffering a significant medical event at his home, Mount Prospect police have said.
At the church, the casket was placed near the front pews, just under a large crucifix suspended from the ceiling. Several family members, including wife Sandra, stepdaughter Amber Ashbaugh, and others filled those first rows while hundreds of police officers filled the rest of the church.
During the mass, Associate Pastor Ronald Paulino said Rosenbarski was someone who recognized that life is a gift, and he wanted to share it with his community.
“He was called to serve and dedicate his life to the police force,” said Rev. Paulino. “That is why he had to live, to serve.”
Rosenbarski graduated from Notre Dame High School, where he helped win the 1975 state hockey championship. He later earned a bachelor's degree at Roosevelt University.
In 1998, Rosenbarski was 39 when he joined the Mount Prospect police department, making him the oldest person hired by the police department as a first-time officer. To do so, he took advantage of a temporary break in a state law barring the hiring of anyone over 35 as a new officer. He patrolled a beat that included the area south of downtown Mount Prospect.
His financial knowledge from his previous career in the corporate world allowed him to build close ties with the village's business community. He also served on the police pension board and as treasurer for the patrol officers' union.
The Rev. Paulino also said Rosenbarski's life is an example of how everyone should use the gift of life to serve others. “Yes, it is a moment of grief and of sorrow and of letting go, but it also a moment of faith,” the Rev. Paulino said.
The lengthy procession made its way to All Saints Catholic Cemetery in Des Plaines, where the American flag-draped casket was placed in a chapel. Officers ceremoniously folded the flag and then presented the triangle to Rosenbarski's widow, Sandra.
Afterward, all the officers lined up, placed their right hands on top of the casket and slid their hand across its full length as a final farewell. Some officer then quickly wiped away tears. Others were visibly shaken and hugged each other.
•Daily Herald Photographer Mark Welsh contributed to this story.