Law enforcement who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty will be honored tomorrow on National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day.

From Marion County, Knoxville Officer M.A. “Bert” Conrey, Officer Virgil Behrens, Marion County Deputy Harold Gates, and Pella Police Officer John Van Haaften all died on duty.

Sheryl Hanthorn was married to Van Haaften and had started a family before his passing, and she hopes people remember John for his character.

“John had fire in his bones,” she says. “He was energetic, he was ornery, he had the brownest eyes that flashed with orneriness, he never did something halfway, he put 100% energy and passion into the things that he did.”

She has since established the John E. Van Haaften memorial scholarship, which is given to a Pella and Pella Christian senior during the Dollars for Scholars awards nights.