By Mary O’KEEFE

Less than a year after fundraising officially began, the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station Memorial is now days from completion.

The memorial is located in the grassy area of the CV Sheriff’s Station parking lot entrance at 4554 Briggs Ave. in La Crescenta.

The memorial is dedicated to two fallen CV Sheriff deputies who died in the line of duty. Deputy David Horr died from gunshot wounds he suffered after responding to a disturbance call on Dec. 7, 1957. Horr fought for two months and two days for life after undergoing four major surgeries and being given numerous blood transfusions. In the end he died of his wounds.

Deputy Charles D. Rea was a member of the Montrose Search and Rescue Team, and the only member to die on duty. Rea, along with other Montrose Search and Rescue Team members, responded to a call in the Big Tujunga area during a rainstorm that flooded the area. Rea attempted to cross the flooded Big Tujunga Canyon when he lost his footing and fell into the rapids. Team members tried to save him but the rapids, debris and darkness proved too much.

The stone wall that encircles the memorial is made of rocks from the Big Tujunga area where Rea died. Montrose Search and Rescue members gathered the stones for the memorial.

To read more about the memorial and Deputies Rea and Horr visit http://www.crescentavalleyweekly.com/news/10/07/2010/a-chance-to-remember-and-to-honor/ and http://www.crescentavalleyweekly.com/news/10/01/2010/cv-sheriff’s-memorial-fundraising-efforts-kickoff/.

  Mary Okeefe