Hundreds Pay Respects to Officer Christian

Hundreds of mourners braved the rain Saturday afternoon to honor the man who had protected them as an Athens-Clarke County police officer.

Bernstein Funeral Home on the Atlanta Highway was the scene of the visitation for 34-year-old Senior Police Officer Elmer “Buddy” Christian, killed in the line of duty Tuesday, allegedly by Jamie Hood, 33, now in custody.

The line for the those wishing to pay their respects was dotted with umbrellas and filled with police officers, family, friends, as well as people who had never met Christian, all simply paying their respects to the man described by many as “everyone's Buddy.”

One person who did know Christian was Joy House. They both attended Madison County High School.

“He was an awesome person, everyone loved him,” said House, a fellow '94 graduate. “He was one of a kind.”

Christian always made you feel welcome, she said, and always had a nice thing to say. Through the years, his friendly demeanor didn't change. When she would bump into him around town or catch up at a class reunion, he was the same Buddy she knew from high school, she said.

In the white chapel of Bernstein’s, standing in lines that wove through dark pews, attendees could watch a slide-show of Christian's life while sharing stories of the man they knew.

There was Buddy the baby in red overalls. There was Buddy the young teen in a University of Georgia sweater-vest. There was Buddy the prom date. And there was Buddy the loving father and devoted husband with his family.

But it was Buddy the police officer that brought out eight members of the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of men and women who volunteer to attend services for fallen law enforcement.

“Officer Christian died protecting the community, and that is the definition of a hero,” said Jeff Goodiel, state captain of the Georgia chapter of Patriot Guard Riders. “He deserves all the respect and all the honor that he can get, and if we can give that to him in some small way, it means a great deal to us.”

Comprised of 200,000 members nationwide, the Patriot Guard Riders participate in an array of events to honor and assist soldiers, veterans and law enforcement officers and their families. Goodiel, a former Marine who has attended almost 150 funerals, said it's an honor to give back.

Sunday, even more members of the Patriot Guard Riders will show up for Christian's funeral at the Classic Center. “There's going to be an impressive showing,” Goodiel said.

The members of the Patriot Guard Riders, most of whom are motorcycle-enthusiast veterans, stood just outside the funeral home as people entered.

Once inside, there was a great sense of familiarity among those in line.

Attendees waved and nodded at family members, fellow church goers and neighbors as the long line snaked from room to room - past flowers, guest books and photos of Christian throughout his life.

The warmth inside stood in stark contrast to the gloomy weather conditions.

“As bad as the weather is, it just seems appropriate for the kind of day this is,” said Athens Mayor Nancy Denson. “The sky looks like how the whole community feels. The whole community is devastated."