Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

I wanted to thank you for answering my question (or maybe Holly's :) )
I know you'll always be there to guide me when I really need it. You haven't let me down yet. It sure would be nice if we could just have a regular talk though. Maybe one about life or Holly, John, and Wil. I sure do miss you, and I still love you tons.

October 16, 2004

Bob,
I've been thinking about you alot lately. Our 'little' golf tournament was a big success. It means so much to us that your family appreciates us. Your Mom was so sweet to me last Sunday. Telling me how much the stuff we do means to her. I simply said that if it was one of us that died that day, it would be you that did all this and remembered. I wish you could be here with all your family and friends, Mark misses you so much.It will never be the same as it was. That year before you died was one of our best. With the kids being born together. All we knew was happiness. I could have never imagined this was how it would end.I know it is a fact of life for people to move on. I'm really trying to accept that. I know you know what I'm talking about. Please help me through all this. I just want the best for your whole family. Watch over us all.

October 8, 2004

A million times we've needed you,
A million times we've cried.
If love alone could've saved you,
You never would have died.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we love you still.
In our hearts you hold a place,
No one else will ever fill.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you didn't go alone.
Part of us went with you,
The day God took you home.

September 14, 2004

BOB, STU AND DANNY
KEEP SAFE ALL OUR RELATIVES GOING TO THE LAKE THIS WEEKEND. YOU GUYS WILL BE IN THEIR THOUGHTS AS ALWAYS. YOU ARE MISSED NOW MORE THAN EVER.

September 3, 2004

Bobby,

Well it's Labor Day weekend and we are packing up to go to the Lake. Not a lake visit goes by that we don't think of you and how much you loved to go down there. Your Dad always remembers how excited you were about the last time you were supposed to come down, just a few short weeks before you were taken from us. As always, the Stanze's are characters and we have had some great times, but the group has dwindled and there is still a touch of sadness when we walk past the condos you and Michelle have stayed at. We envision what it would have been like with Wil and the twins down there and again smile, but sometimes are just overwhelmed with a sense of loss and sadness. The entire family is in a tail spin after losing your Uncle Stu. Our only solace is that he is up there with you and Danny and you all have one heck of a liar's poker game going. Please watch over us all and keep us all safe, not only over this Labor Day weekend, but for, well at least a long while. I know in my heart none of us could take another loss right now. We are all shaken by even the thought of it. Please ask God to help us all through this. We love you and miss you Bobby so much!

September 3, 2004

Wil is "leaving the nest" in a few days. Well not exactly, but he is going off to Kindergarten. It's breaking my heart, and I wish you were here with me. I told him again tonight how much you loved him, and how you played with him all the time. He loves to hear those stories. You'd be amazed how much his personality is like yours. Please watch over our baby as he ventures off into the world.
We all miss you and love you.
Holly, John, Wil, and Shell

September 2, 2004

Bob,
Once again we all got together yesterday to remember you. Ok, mostly to drink, but to remember you too. Although there still is not a day that goes by that some thought or memoery of you comes to mind. Our lives will never go back to the way things were on August 8, 2000, we miss you as much today as we did that night. We're all going to the lake this weekend and will be thinking of you, knowing you would have loved it there. I hope we're making you proud up there.

August 9, 2004

Four years ago today Officer
Robert J. Stanze II lost his life in the never ending pursuit of justice. His senseless and tragic loss is a continuing reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers each and every day. All of our shifts today are dedicated to the memory of Officer Stanze hoping that in some small way it will bring peace and comfort to those who knew and loved him.

OMY/COP/WPD
8/8/04

Chief of Police / Olen M. Young
Wauneta PD Nebraska

August 8, 2004

Four years. I can't believe it. I always think I'm okay, but I can't seem to keep my tears at bay tonight. I miss you so much, and I'd give anything to go back those four years and spend those last few hours differently. There are so many things I would say. It all seems so long ago, but there are still so many who remember you. You touched us all...everyone who knew you. Your fingerprints are upon my heart, and that's the only thing keeping it from breaking tonight. I Love you with all my heart.

August 8, 2004

Bob, Danny and Stu,
Your family is in such pain. Please help them get through this latest tragedy. Stu, you will be missed alot.

July 27, 2004

Bob please help us all---we need you and Dan now more then ever.

July 26, 2004

Bob,
Just thinking of you Smoking that cigar on top of the bus on Murphy's wedding day. We miss you.
CBC

July 24, 2004

Bob

Uncle Rich and I took Will fishing a couple of weeks ago to a farm pond stocked with crappie and bass. He liked riding in the boat and after while he was telling Uncle Rich how “drive it”. He looked so small in his life jacket which seemed almost as big as him. The first bite he got he said “Granddad my rod is heavy” and sure enough he had a nice size crappie on his line. He ended up catching and landing (with just a little help) 12 good size crappie and by the end of the day was baiting his own hook. He reminds me of you at his age in so many ways. He asked me several times “did my Dad in Heaven like to fish?” and I told him that you were a real good fisherman. I might have been stretching the truth there a little bit. Son, I know you were with us that day watching over Wil and making sure that he caught some real nice size fish……..

July 9, 2004

I'm really missing you. Sometimes you feel so far away...sometimes you feel really close. I wonder what life would be like if you were here. How different would things be? How different would all of us be? I miss knowing you? There are things I still want to ask you? Well....I love you, and I'm still waiting for that visit :)

Michelle

June 26, 2004

I just had another dream about you last night bob. I woke up & realized you really had died - wow, it's just as hard to believe now as that day in august 4 years ago. Alot of hearts were broken that day - I'm so glad you were here with us for 29 years at least. I love you.

May 20, 2004

Bob,

I just miss you so much sometimes. Wil is starting to miss you too. Do you hold him when he cries? Can you feel his tears? Does it break your heart? It breaks mine. He really really wants to talk to you, and wants to know what you do up there. He's constantly asking me to tell him stories about you, and he even makes up stories about you for me. You were the most compassionate man I've ever known. I know it must hurt you to see Wil this way. It breaks my heart, but makes me angry too. It's just not fair. Anyway I don't think about you every minute of every day anymore. Sometimes I can go ten minutes without thinking about you. I never thought I'd be able to do that, but part of me is sad that I can. Ohhh I don't know Bob, I just don't know anything. My heart will never feel normal again. When it broke that day in August, it was never going to go back together the same way. Every night I end up staying up late, no matter how tired I am. It just recently occurred to me that maybe I'm still staying up waiting for you to come home at 2am. I know you're not coming home, but maybe you could visit then. At least it's quite at our house then. I miss you sweetheart.

Anonymous

April 17, 2004

Bob,
I feel like there are so many things I still have to say to you. Mostly, Thank you for being in our lives. Your were always an unselfish friend to us. Even though you're gone, we see your mark on everything. Because of you, we have so many wonderful people in our lives now. I guess that's how many it takes to even coming close to the kind of friend you are. Thank you for your family of course, your Mom and Dad and Brother and sisters make us feel like we are part of your family always. We have found so many wonderful people throughout this horrible ordeal. Thank you for Vern and Steve and Rob. They mean alot to us and we never would have known them if not for you. Thank you for bringing me and Michelle closer. She has your giving nature and willingness to always help out a friend. You will always be a part of our lives, forever.

Anonymous

March 30, 2004

Bob, Thanks for the wonderful memories in Mobile Reserve. Think about ya all the time. God Bless you.

Jenn Jackson
EX-SLMPD, Anheuser-Busch

March 6, 2004

Bob,

Miss you at on Christmas Eve at Aunt Ace and Uncle Johnny's.
Hope you know that Michelle has met and married a very nice guy who loves and cares for your children as his own and will make sure that they will know you through memories.

Retired Sgt. Jay Burkard
SLMPD

February 21, 2004

More police officers killed...and all those memories just flooded our minds.

We all still miss you so much---some days I think it's getting a little easier to remember just the good times, your crazy sense of humor, laugh and smile and othertimes I think my heart is breaking and I don't think it will ever feel OK again.

Sometimes I hear you talking to me when I'm sad and lost and then I realize you really are watching out for us all..........(and you thought your job down here was hard!!!)

Love you Bob...don't work too hard keeping up with all of us down here!

Anonymous

February 20, 2004

In reading through the memorials left for your son, I took particular notice of the poem that ended "let my name be the last." Of course it wasn't, and I'm not naive enough to think that my cousin's name will be the last either. Still, it is of some comfort that Bob and Nick (Sloan) will be there to watch over all the other officers on duty, and if need be bring them Home. No one should have to bury their child, yet I cannot help but think that some act of a fallen officer may have spared some other parent from this grief.

Pat Carpenter
coworker of Robert's parents

February 6, 2004

I remember the phone call
Telling us the horrible truth.
I remember the plane ride with my brother
Not sharing a word.
I remember my mom greeting us,
Tears streaming down her face.
I remeber the hugs from my dad,
Trying to make it all better.

I remember the news clips,
His face, his car...
I remember the face of the coward who had shot him,
Who had been allowed to live.
I remember the amazing man that I knew,
Who is no longer among the living.
I remember the days before the funeral,
Wondering how this could happen to our family.

I remember driving to the funeral,
Thinking this is the last time i will ever see his face.
I remember the teary-eyed hugs from the rest of the family,
All of us still wondering "How?"
I remember trying not to cry
As my brother put his arm around me.
I remember seeing my uncles and father together,
All of them crying.

I remember walking out of the funeral home
To a sea of blue, all at attention
I remember the drive to the church,
Seeing those who never knew him, all with head bowed.
I remember thinking how amazing of these people
To take time out of their day to salute a fallen hero.
I remember the firefighters with their flag
Strung across the road in remembrance.

I remember pulling up to the church
Just to see another sea of blue lining the steps.
I remember walking down the aisle,
And seeing people who never even knew this amazing man.
I remember one woman in paticular
With tears streaming down her face.
I remeber the casket
Covered with the American flag.

I remember the ten mile drive to the cemetary
In complete silence, still unbelieving.
I remember the chlidren on the side of the road
Holding signs saying "Wel will pray for you."
I remember walking once at the cemetary
And seeing cars from as far away as Texas.
I remember thinking how amazing these people were,
Not knowing him and still feeling they had lost a family member.

I remember standing next to my mother
And not being able to stop crying.
I remember looking over and seeing his partner,
Trying to keep his composure.
I remember my mom reaching over,
Trying to comfort him.
I remember them handing his wife
The flag that had covered his casket.

I remember the 21 gun salute
Ringing in my ears.
I remember the bagpipes fading in the distance,
Playing "Amazing Grace."
I remember the police officers
All at salute.
I remember huggin my cousin
And not wanting to let go.

I remember the pain,
The sorrow and sadness.
I remember the change
In my family and myself.
I remember still not belieiving
This had happened to my family.
I remember feeling
I was missing a piece inside of myself.

I remember when it started to change,
When there wasn't as much pain.
I remember when it didnt hurt
To see a police car drive by.
I remember when it didnt hurt
To see his face or hear his name.
I remember when the missing piece
Started to heal.

I remember wondering
If all this meant that I didn't care.
I remember realizing
I would always love him,
My cousin, My fallen hero.

Anonymous

February 5, 2004

What I need from you tonight,
is a sign from up above.
I remember what you look like,
but I want to FEEL your love.

I remember that we shared many laughs,
and conversations too,
but I don't remember what it FEELS like
to spend my days with you.

In my mind I know you love me,
even though we are apart,
but what I really want and need
is to FEEL it in my heart.

I want your arms to hold me.
To wrap me so secure.
I want you to feel my love
that's still passionate and pure.

The love still pours out of me.
Out into the night.
Bob, can your heart still catch it,
even though you're out of sight?

I have so many questions...
Is your love for me the same?
Does it still grow as days go by?
Or does it start to tame?

Did you know fear that day,
that you fell upon the street?
Or did you feel the peace of heaven
knowing your job here was complete?

It absolutely kills my soul
to think that you felt fear.
I'd give up everything I have
to make it disappear.

Your last moments here on Earth,
should not have held despair.
But should have been in the arms
of someone who did care.

Someone who loved you deeply.
Someone to hold you tight.
Someone to reassure you that
where you were going you'd be all right.

I'd have loved to been that someone,
to hold you in your time of need.
The one to hold your body,
as your soul was finally freed.

Did you wonder if you'd make it?
Did you ache for us?
Or did you simply put
your faith in God...and trust.

And will there be a day,
when I'll see you again?
And if that day should happen,
can you tell me when?

I have so many questions?
So many things I want to say.
So if tonight I dream of you,
perhaps for once you'll stay.

Please, Bob, wrap me in your arms,
and whisper in my ear
the answers to my questions
and simply let me FEEL you near.

Anonymous

January 14, 2004

Loving you and missing you during this, your favorite, time of the year. You taught me to enjoy everything about the season, and I miss sharing it with you. You're always in my heart. I hope, where you are, everyday can be Christmas.
M

Anonymous

December 18, 2003

Happy 33rd Bob!! The boys and I released 3 Birthday balloons for you today. Austin also wanted to pick up a small birthday cake for you, so we will sing and eat cake for you too. I'll be sure and have a beer for you!
I love you & miss you Bob. Happy Birthday!

deb

October 28, 2003