ST. LOUIS – Tears, hugs, and a hero’s sendoff for a fallen officer with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Funeral services for David Lee, 44, took place Saturday at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.

“We have lost not just a protector, but a soul dedicated to a greater good. Someone who believed deeply in the mission of service, and who stood as a guardian for our community,” St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Tracy said.

Lee, a husband and father of two children, was struck and killed the morning of September 22, while assisting with an accident on I-70 near Grand in north St. Louis. Court documents indicate that the suspect was allegedly drunk, and not residing in the United States legally.

Lee served with the police department for 18 years, most recently in the department’s specialized Traffic and Safety Enforcement Division.

His supervisor, Lt. Paul Lauer, said Lee showed sincere commitment to his job and the people he served. He said over the course of a few years working traffic and safety, Lee had interacted with thousands of drivers, and not a single one ever filed a complaint.

“Whether David was working on north Broadway, or south Broadway, or in downtown St. Louis, he did his job professionally, and was courteous to those he stopped,” Lauer said.

Lee’s sister, Danielle, said years before brother wore the uniform, he was already serving as a protector and guardian. She shared a story about him accompanying her to class on her first day of grade school.

“I always knew my big brother was going to be an amazing person and would leave an impact on this world,” she said. “I guess it’s selfish of me not to be ready for my hero to become my angel. He’s always been my protector.”