KAPLAN — Colleagues and family members are remembering Virgie LeMaire, a retired Assistant Chief of the Kaplan Police Department, who passed away on Saturday.
Lemaire worked for Kaplan’s Police Department for decades, starting as a Reserve Officer and retiring as an Assistant Chief.
Kaplan’s Chief of Police, Joshua Hardy, said Lemaire was instrumental to the department.
Hardy said, "I believe she was a big foundation to our police department and she helped run it from day to day when it was really needed.”
Known for her tough-love, Chief Hardy said she treated those at the department like her own children.
"If we did something wrong, we knew. No matter what, you got fussed at, but I think that was her way of showing us that she loved us just as her own children,” he said.
Her son, Scott LeMaire, said his mother raised three sons alone while working in Law Enforcement. He added, if she was not fishing, she wanted to be working. Her dedication to her job and her town influenced her son to become an officer himself.
"She was an inspiration. She loved doing her job, and loved the people. I think that's why I stayed in because it wasn't about the money or nothing, it was about the people you get to meet and hopefully help out in life,” LeMaire said.
He said her firm beliefs helped to shape how she carried out her job as an officer.
“If you would get fussing at from her, it was not because she didn’t like you, it’s because she knew you could do better, and she figured she was going to chew your butt and make you try to do better because she believed in second chances in everybody and everybody can do good,” her son said.
LeMaire’s burial is on Wednesday, March 4. She will pass by Kaplan Police Department while officers salute her.
