By Andrew de Souza

Cst. Pineo receives loving send off

Jul 25, 2012 | 6:02 PM

Police officers from around the country and hundreds of locals from the Nipawin area turned out to say farewell to Cst. Derek Pineo.

Pineo died tragically in a collision with a wild animal last week.

On Wednesday, family, friends, coworkers and colleagues gathered to remember his life.

The day began with a parade through Nipawin that followed Pineo’s casket. It featured hundreds of RCMP officers in full red serge, the RCMP Guidon and its escorting officers, police officers from around the country and members of the community lining the streets.

The parade met up with Pineo’s family at the Evergreen Centre, which had both its auditorium and curling rink full to facilitate the funeral.

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Pineo was remembered as a model father and husband who left a loving wife and three children behind.

In a statement released by his family, his efforts to keep roads safe and connect with younger students and schools were praised.

At the funeral, he was remembered for his ability to tell great stories and bring smiles to everyone’s face, but also be serious when needed.

After the funeral, his fellow officers who had attended RCMP’s Depot training facility in his unit took a moment to give personal goodbyes and remember him.

Cst. Kyle Smeltzer said Pineo had been a great friend, comedian, and good example.

“He’s just a very gentle, family orientated man, always telling stories about his kids and wife. And he was funny, always putting a smile on your face and making you laugh, always aiming to please,” he said.

“If anyone can model themselves as a husband or father, it would be after Derek. His love for his kids and his wife—unconditional. He was away from his family for six months during training and he was always telling stories.”

Smeltzer said their time together in training had made them all like a family and it was Pineo that kept them together.

“He stood out right from the get go, telling jokes and really he was the glue for our troop. He held us together, and when times were tough, he encouraged us to push on and he really helped us stick together,” he said.

RCMP top brass including commissioner Bob Paulson were in attendance to give condolences to the family and remember Pineo.

“It’s important when we lose a member that we come out and support, most importantly, his family and to make sure they remember that they’ll always remain part of, as we call it, the RCMP family,” he said.

“It’s a tremendous loss, anytime you lose a member unexpectedly, it causes us to reflect on what we do, how we do it and that life is fragile. In a second things can change.”

Pineo had served with the RCMP for almost five years, most of which was in Nipawin. He had been recently transferred to Wilkie, SK.

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