NANTICOKE - Saying he came to pay respects "on behalf of a grateful nation," the top law enforcement officer in the United States arrived in Nanticoke on Saturday to eulogize murdered federal Correctional Officer Eric Williams.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder praised the 34-year-old Nanticoke man as a dedicated civil servant for the U.S. Department of Justice and read from a letter President Barack Obama penned to the Williams family.
"I want to assure you, all members of America's law enforcement community stand with you - the Williams family - today, and an entire nation mourns with you," Mr. Holder said during a funeral Mass at St. Faustina Kowalska Parish. "On behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for allowing me to share this moment with you and stand with all of the Nanticoke community - including a proud native son, a hero, a patriot."
The hundreds of mourners who crammed into the church listened as the nation's chief prosecutor saluted Officer Williams' selfless service to the country, then vowed to punish the killer and make federal prisons safer.
"This is our promise to you. This is my pledge to you," Mr. Holder said. "And it will be our enduring tribute to the memory of Officer Eric Williams: His loss will not be in vain."
A federal corrections officer since Sept. 11, 2011, Officer Williams was beaten and stabbed repeatedly Monday night by an inmate at U.S. Penitentiary at Canaan in Wayne County as he was preparing to lock inmates in their cells for a nightly head count. He became only the nation's 25th federal corrections officer killed in the line of duty since 1901.
An inmate was detained, but no charges have been filed.
After his remarks, Mr. Holder read from a letter Mr. Obama directed to the Williams family.
"Michelle and I were saddened to learn of the passing of your son Eric and we send our heartfelt condolences. As an officer of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Eric dedicated himself to the country and keeping us safe," the president wrote.
"Our nation is forever indebted to the brave men and women who place themselves in harm's way to protect their fellow Americans, and we honor Eric for his dedicated service."
In other eulogies by loved ones, Officer Williams was remembered on a personal level - as a devoted Seattle Seahawks fan, as someone who never once tasted mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise or salad dressing, as someone who worked countless hours to turn his new cottage at Lily Lake into a home, and as a nice guy with a quirky smile who tried to make friends with everyone.
Lifelong best friend Todd Hrivnak recalled a trip to Buffalo, N.Y., years ago when Officer Williams spotted legendary Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly and other players dining at a hotel restaurant. Officer Williams woke Mr. Hrivnak up and brought him down to the restaurant in hopes they could meet the eventual Hall of Fame player.
"It was because of Eric we spent that night hanging out with Jim Kelly and his associates. Not only did we get autographs, but Eric had his personally signed, 'Sorry we beat the Seahawks, Jim Kelly,' " Mr. Hrivnak recalled. "But Eric also convinced Jim Kelly and his friends to come back to the room to wake up one of our other friends. As we rode the elevator up, Eric continued to talk to him as if he knew him like anybody else. And as the doors opened, Eric and I got pushed out and the doors closed. Eric looked at me and said, 'What just happened?' I said, 'Well, Eric, ya just got thrown out of an elevator by Jim Kelly.' "
The collective laughs and smiles at the story marked a rare happy moment during a week dominated by sadness and tears.
The Rev. James Nash, who celebrated the funeral Mass with the assistance of several other priests and the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, bishop of Scranton, told mourners, "It's a difficult time to explain why these things happen."
"I wish I had the answer, but I don't," the Rev. Nash said, noting the best comfort is to rely on the words of Jesus, that "He who believes in me shall never die."
Following the Mass, Officer Williams' casket was wheeled out of church as bagpipers played. The long funeral procession, led by a Nanticoke police cruiser, wound through the city.
As the procession approached Middle Road, the stream of vehicles, including the hearse carrying Officer Williams, drove under a giant U.S. flag hung from the ladder trucks of the Nanticoke and Hanover Twp. fire departments - a final tribute to a hometown hero off to his final resting place, St. Mary's Cemetery in Hanover Twp.
Contact the writer: bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com, @cvbobkal on Twitter