Updated Nov 30,2009 - 5:20 PM CST

CARTHAGE, MO. - The city of Carthage prepares to say goodbye to a beloved public servant.

Detective La Verne Williams, 66, passed away Thanksgiving Day.

Williams was the founder of the Police Christmas Party that started out with 30 children and has grown to over 700 children.  He also served as McGruff the Crime Dog.

Visitation is scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m.  Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m.  Both the visitation and funeral services will be held at Fairview Christian Church in Carthage.

 

Updated Nov 29, 2009 - 7:52 PM CST

Carthage, Missouri is mourning the loss of a four state police detective who served his community for decades.

La Verne Williams died early Thanksgiving morning at his home at the age of 66. He served as an officer and detective with the Carthage police for 3 decades and retired just last year.

Friend and fellow officer, Lieutenant Bill Barksdale says La Verne will be greatly missed especially around the holiday season.

He says La Verne was the initiator of the police departments' annual Christmas party for kids.

"You think first off what a terrible thing to pass on a holiday but on the other end of that, Thanksgiving you couldn't think of a more giving person than La Verne Williams and you couldn't have more thanks than to know him, if you knew him, you knew him, if you were a friend you were a friend forever," says Lt. Barksdale.

 The visitation will be held Monday evening at the Fairview Christian Church at 6 pm, with the funeral to follow on Tuesday afternoon.