By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press
Hundreds gathered Saturday morning at the Cadence Bank Center to mourn and celebrate the life of Copperas Cove Police Officer Elijah Garretson and show support to his family and loved ones.
The service began with a welcome from Pastor Mark Kemp of First Baptist Church of Copperas Cove who led the group in prayer before the playing of the song “The Fall” by Cody Johnson, which was followed by a speech given by Elijah’s father, Roger Garretson.
“Before Elijah was a police officer, and before he was a soldier, there was Elijah the son,” Roger said. “As a child, he was thoughtful, compassionate, sweet and kind.”
Roger explained that his son played sports, with his favorite sport being soccer, where he was seen as a leader on the soccer field as well as among his friends.
“Elijah was highly intelligent and very curious,” Roger said. “He took Latin in high school just for fun. He excelled in math and science and loved to read. He was a prolific reader of both fiction, non-fiction, philosophy, and if I’m recalling correctly, even some poetry. He would get in trouble in class a lot because he’d have a book with him and he’d be reading something completely unrelated, rather than following along in class, and the teacher would call on him and he’d be able to answer accurately.”
Roger shared that a trip to Barnes and Noble with his Nana was one of the greatest rewards, and he loved to collect fossils and minerals, a passion he ended up passing along to his younger sister.
“He would often gift minerals or rocks that he thought were cool with friends, even if they didn't understand what he was trying to say,” Roger added.
Roger said that most kids only think they are smarter than their parents.
“I’m not afraid to admit that Elijah was smarter than I am,” he added. Elijah liked having discussions about science, from subjects such as mental health, quantum physics, and more.
Elijah was also a devoted father to his daughter, Elliana, whom he loved with all his heart, Roger said.
“Like most parents, he wanted her to have the best life possible,” Roger said. “He tried to teach her, encouraged her and worked to build her confidence. He was patient and attentive. He always spoke so highly of her intelligence, and he felt the need to make sure that she was involved in STEM-type classes, and he worked with her mother to make that happen. He knew that she was going to go and do great things. He also knew that she was going to surpass him in intellect. He was proud of her quick wit and outspoken nature...He wanted to get her involved in sports. We often talked about what athletics and strength and conditioning for children looks like now, and he was looking forward to getting her involved and attending her activities.”
Roger said that Elijah also had a stubborn streak.
“You can move a battleship in the desert easier than you can move Elijah,” he said. “Once he decided to dig his heels, he and I stood head-to-head on more than one occasion, when he was younger, and he wouldn't give an inch if he thought I was wrong or if he felt backed into a corner. Over time, I saw that stubborn streak evolved into a determination to do what he thought was right.”
Roger shared a recent experience he had with Elijah where he shared about a time when he came across a young woman in a holding area, and she was going through a mental health episode. Although this woman was not someone he had arrested, Elijah continued to check in on her and sit with her when he was able to, and he found her clean clothes to wear. She had moved to the area from New Hampshire and had been having trouble getting her medications refilled.
“When he told me the story, he emphasized that to him, it was important to treat her like a human being,” Roger said. “He treated her with compassion, dignity and respect, and in doing so, he was able to connect with her and calm her down. He wasn't sharing this story looking for praise. He shared it because he wanted me to understand how much it meant to treat her this way. This is an example of how he wanted to serve this community. That was the kind of police officer he wanted to be.”
Copperas Cove Police Chief Eddie Wilson also gave a speech during the service.
“We’re here today with heavy hearts, united by grief, but also by gratitude- although life cut much too short, the gratitude is for a life lived with purpose, courage, and selfless service,” Wilson said. “From an early age, Elijah demonstrated a quiet strength, a sense of responsibility, and deep care for those around him. He was especially devoted to his younger sister, Laney, whom he adored and protected with the kind of love only a big brother could give. That same sense of duty carried Elijah into the Army, where he served honorably, retaining the rank of sergeant. The Army served as a complement to his upbringing. He didn't just wear the rank; he earned it. He led by example, and he never asked more of others than he was willing to give himself, and after meeting Roger, I certainly see where he gets his strength from.”
After seven years in the Army, Elijah left and chose law enforcement for his next career path.
“He joined the Copperas Cove Police Department just over a year ago from today,” Wilson said. “From the very beginning, it was clear this is where he belonged.”
The Copperas Cove Police Department sponsored Elijah through the Central Texas College Police Academy, where he graduated in June 2025 at the top of his class.
“He didn't accomplish this for the accolades,” Wilson said. “He did it because that's exactly what he told us he was born to do so. As many of you have already heard, while attending the academy, he was also instrumental in saving the life of a fellow cadet. Elijah was making a difference long before he put this badge on.”
Wilson read a statement from Elijah’s Copperas Cove classmates from the Academy, where they described Elijah as a good person and said that he made it very clear that he was “in it to help people and always strive to make everyone around him better.”
“‘Elijah loved helping people so much, his goal as a police officer was to become a mental health officer to especially help those in need,’” they continued.
Wilson added that Elijah was “dependable, thoughtful, and carried himself to that high degree of humility and professionalism that we demand of all of our officers and staff.”
Elijah was pursuing college studies in social work “because he believed deeply in mental health and in helping others through their darkest moments,” Wilson said. “He understood that behind every call for service was a human being often in pain.”
Wilson said that Elijah was more than a police officer.
“Being a police officer was only a small part of who he was and who he would have become,” he said. “He was also a son, a father, a brother, a friend and a soldier. Above all, we honor a man who chose a life of service to others, even when that service demanded everything. In July of 2025, Elijah also became a husband when he quietly married his wife Lexi, with plans of a bigger ceremony to share with friends and family this April. He was a proud father to his five-year-old daughter, Elliana, whom he loved beyond measure. Everything Elijah did, every shift he worked, every challenge he accepted, is deeply rooted in his desire to make a better world for his family.”
Wilson addressed Elijah’s family directly with a message of support.
“Your loss is shared by all of us. On behalf of every member of the Copperas Cove Police Department, I'm making a personal commitment that Elijah's name, his service and his sacrifice will never be forgotten,” Wilson said. “Just know he and all of you will always be part of our city and our department.”
Wilson also thanked the Copperas Cove community and the dozens of different law enforcement and public safety agencies that were present at the funeral.
“Thank you for loving what we represent. Thank you for loving my people, and mostly thank you for loving Elijah,” Wilson said. “The amount of support, the degree of support, has been overwhelming, and I can’t say enough about what we received from all of you. I am praying to God that we don’t ever have to return the favor.”
Wilson also shared a message for his own officers, dispatchers and staff.
“It’s okay to not be okay,” he said. “Elijah was one of us who wore the same badge, answered the same calls, served the same community, and believed in the same mission. His death will forever serve as a stark reminder to everyone here of the risks we accept when we take this oath.
“Please hear this clearly. Elijah's legacy, like yours, will not be defined by how you die, but by how you live. Elijah lived with integrity, courage and compassion, all the ingredients necessary for a life of service. The greatest way we honor him is by carrying those qualities forward, by watching out for one another, by serving with professionalism in heart, and by never forgetting why we chose this profession.”
After the service, Elijah’s friends and family gathered outside in the courtyard in front of the flag poles for the Honor Guard service, which featured the playing of bagpipes and drums by the Texas Department of Public Safety Pipes and Drums unit as they escorted Elijah’s flag-draped casket to the center of the courtyard. Honor guard units from different agencies across Texas gathered on one side, while the uniformed officers formed a circle around the other side, with the Copperas Cove Police Department in formation behind Elijah’s family.
The service also featured a 21-gun salute and the folding of the American flag, which was presented first to Police Chief Eddie Wilson, who then presented the folded flag to Elijah’s wife, Lexi, who sat next to Elijah’s former wife, Esmie, and their five-year-old daughter Elliana.
After the service ended, the procession of vehicles began lining up, led by a motorcade of police motorcycles from Austin, Kyle, DPS, and more, followed by Copperas Cove Police Department vehicles, with the hearse and the family vehicles in between, followed by a long line of law enforcement vehicles.
Other law enforcement or public safety or public safety agencies represented in the procession include:
Killeen Police, Nolanville Police, Ellis County, Brownwood Police, Dallas County, Kyle Police, Temple Police, Williamson County, Pearland Police, North Richland Hills Police, Waco ISD, Burnet Police, Burnet County, Granite Shoals Police, Brown County, Mills County, Military Police, Bell County, San Saba Sheriff, San Angelo Police, Belton Police, Hutto Police, Killeen ISD, Lampasas County, Lampasas Police, Gatesville Police, Texas Game Warden, Texas DPS, Coryell County, Richardson Police, Stephenville Police, Manor ISD, Llano County, Corinth Police, Round Rock Police, Hamilton County, Marble Falls Police, Hewitt Police, Richland Springs ISD Police, Bosque County, Saginaw Police, Georgetown Police, McKinney Police, Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police, Liberty Hill Fire Department, Austin ISD Police, DFW Airport Police, McLennan County, Florence Police, Leander Police, Robinson Police, and many more. Robinson Police, and many more.
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