Family members and former colleagues remembered Chicago police officer John Bartholomew as a hero with a heart of gold, during his funeral service at a church on the city's North side.
Mourners gathered Friday morning for the funeral at Edgewater's St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church, 5649 N. Sheridan Rd., where Officer Bartholomew was an altar boy, and where his grandfather was a priest years ago.
Those mourners included elected leaders from the city and county, paying tribute to the officer killed in the April 25 shooting at Swedish Hospital, 5140 N. California Ave.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling's eulogy included a message to the officer's family: "Your hero gave his life doing work that others ran from."
Albany Park police District Commander Jesse Alvarez said Officer Bartholomew's energy lifted everyone around him. "We carry him with us every time we face the unknown, and every time we choose courage over comfort," said Cmdr. Alvarez.
Rogers Park District Commander Allison Christian said Officer Bartholomew helped make her and their colleagues better officers.
"He was a gift," said Cmdr. Christian. "His smile, his laugh, his kindness, his walk ... we will never, ever forget him."
John," she continued, fighting back tears, "we love you, we miss you, and we will take it from here."
The service ended with a tribute from James Bartholomew to his brother he called his "best friend."
"If you knew him, you knew his heart was full," James Bartholomew said of his brother. "His heart was pure ... heart of gold.
"He'd tell you that he was thankful that God granted him another day of life."
Officer John Bartholomew was 38 years old, and had been a member of the Chicago Police Department for eleven years. He's been laid to rest at a cemetery on the Northwest side.
Superintendent calls Officer John Bartholomew 'a hero'
Superintendent calls Officer John Bartholomew 'a hero'
