Sheriff’s Office and project remember Sgt. Proxmire
By Bruce Rolfe
The family of Kalamazoo County Sergeant Ryan Proxmire, who was killed in the line of duty in 2021, was presented a plaque from the Til Valhalla Project in an emotional ceremony November 7 that was also attended by Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office staff in the Benjamin Franklin Orcutt Room at the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office.
Proxmire was killed in the line of duty August 15, 2021 at the age of 39. Proxmire served with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office for over nine years. He was a patrolman, field training officer and subject control/defensive tactics instructor.
Proxmire is only the second person on the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department who has been killed in the line of duty, joining Sheriff Benjamin Franklin Orcutt, who was killed in the line of duty December 12,
1867.
Cindy L. Vander Weele, of VanderWeele & Associates Counseling, said she worked with Proxmire and his wife Roanna for about half a year prior to Proxmire’s death.
VanderWeele said she was introduced to the Til Valhalla Project about a year ago. The Til Valhalla Project is a non-profit program that helps provide mental health counseling for veterans and first responders.
VanderWeele said she learned the Til Valhalla Project has a memorial program for fallen veterans and fallen first responders. She felt Proxmire should be added to the organizations’s Wall of Heroes.
The Til Valhalla Project website states the non-profit organization’s goal “is to preserve the Legacies of our Fallen Heroes by surprise-delivering handmade custom made memorial plaques to their families, funded by apparel.”
“I thought honoring Ryan would be the right thing to do at this point. That’s when I submitted the information regarding Sgt. Proxmire in hopes that he could be honored in the way that he deserves for giving his life and his family giving up their family for our safety,” said VanderWeele.
The family of Kalamazoo County Sergeant Ryan Proxmire, who was killed in the line of duty in 2021, was presented a plaque from the Til Valhalla Project in an emotional ceremony November 7 that was also attended by Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office staff in the Benjamin Franklin Orcutt Room at the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office.
Proxmire was killed in the line of duty August 15, 2021 at the age of 39. Proxmire served with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office for over nine years. He was a patrolman, field training officer and subject control/defensive tactics instructor.
Proxmire is only the second person on the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department who has been killed in the line of duty, joining Sheriff Benjamin Franklin Orcutt, who was killed in the line of duty December 12,
1867.
Cindy L. Vander Weele, of VanderWeele & Associates Counseling, said she worked with Proxmire and his wife Roanna for about half a year prior to Proxmire’s death.
VanderWeele said she was introduced to the Til Valhalla Project about a year ago. The Til Valhalla Project is a non-profit program that helps provide mental health counseling for veterans and first responders.
VanderWeele said she learned the Til Valhalla Project has a memorial program for fallen veterans and fallen first responders. She felt Proxmire should be added to the organizations’s Wall of Heroes.
The Til Valhalla Project website states the non-profit organization’s goal “is to preserve the Legacies of our Fallen Heroes by surprise-delivering handmade custom made memorial plaques to their families, funded by apparel.”
“I thought honoring Ryan would be the right thing to do at this point. That’s when I submitted the information regarding Sgt. Proxmire in hopes that he could be honored in the way that he deserves for giving his life and his family giving up their family for our safety,” said VanderWeele.
The plaque that Sheriff Richard Fuller presented to Sgt. Proxmire’s wife Roanna has the words, “To Protect & Serve,” the Kalamazoo County Sheriff logo, a picture of Proxmire, his date of birth and death, along with the words, “Honor, Integrity, Service.”
The motto of the Til Valhalla Project, “grow through what you go through,” is inscribed on the back of the plaque.
The family was also presented a framed letter from Til Valhalla Project founder Korey Shaffer recognizing Proxmire.
“That is the goal here at the County Sheriff’s Office as well. We are blessed to be in a community where people recognize the sacrifices made by our heros and they make sure that those heroes are never forgotten,” said Fuller.
The plaque from the Til Valhalla Project that Fuller presented to Proxmire’s wife Roanna, was hand designed and built by veterans who volunteer their time so fallen heroes are remembered.
Proxmire’s father, Mark, said the Til Valhalla Project presentation remembering his son and his legacy means a lot to the family.
“It goes on. It’s been over four years now, and we’ve had presentations in the past before. Obviously, it stirs a lot of emotion when it comes up again. But we have to do this, to make sure that we don’t forget Ryan’s legacy and what he was all about. So it’s very important that we do this kind of stuff,” said Proxmire’s father, who said his son was a big supporter of the Til Valhalla Project.
“We’ve got a great family here at the Sheriff’s Department that have been so supportive, everyone,” adds Mark Proxmire.
A stretch of U.S. 131 between Schoolcraft and Kalamazoo will now be known as the Sergeant Ryan J. Proxmire Memorial Highway.
In 2018 Til Valhalla Project broadened its mission to reducing Veteran suicide while Honoring Fallen Heroes. Alongside building and delivering handmade memorial plaques, the Til Valhalla Project started donating a portion of net proceeds toward funding therapy for veterans at the highest risk of suicide.
To learn more about the Til Valhalla Project, visit at the non-profit organization’s website at www.tilvalhallaproject.com
The motto of the Til Valhalla Project, “grow through what you go through,” is inscribed on the back of the plaque.
The family was also presented a framed letter from Til Valhalla Project founder Korey Shaffer recognizing Proxmire.
“That is the goal here at the County Sheriff’s Office as well. We are blessed to be in a community where people recognize the sacrifices made by our heros and they make sure that those heroes are never forgotten,” said Fuller.
The plaque from the Til Valhalla Project that Fuller presented to Proxmire’s wife Roanna, was hand designed and built by veterans who volunteer their time so fallen heroes are remembered.
Proxmire’s father, Mark, said the Til Valhalla Project presentation remembering his son and his legacy means a lot to the family.
“It goes on. It’s been over four years now, and we’ve had presentations in the past before. Obviously, it stirs a lot of emotion when it comes up again. But we have to do this, to make sure that we don’t forget Ryan’s legacy and what he was all about. So it’s very important that we do this kind of stuff,” said Proxmire’s father, who said his son was a big supporter of the Til Valhalla Project.
“We’ve got a great family here at the Sheriff’s Department that have been so supportive, everyone,” adds Mark Proxmire.
A stretch of U.S. 131 between Schoolcraft and Kalamazoo will now be known as the Sergeant Ryan J. Proxmire Memorial Highway.
In 2018 Til Valhalla Project broadened its mission to reducing Veteran suicide while Honoring Fallen Heroes. Alongside building and delivering handmade memorial plaques, the Til Valhalla Project started donating a portion of net proceeds toward funding therapy for veterans at the highest risk of suicide.
To learn more about the Til Valhalla Project, visit at the non-profit organization’s website at www.tilvalhallaproject.com
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