Mourners farewell fallen police officer Timothy Proctor
The wife of Constable Timothy Proctor, who tragically died following a horrifying head-on car crash in Sydney’s south in January, laid a police teddy bear on her husband’s casket in honour of their unborn child at his funeral today.
A city stood still to honour a fallen police officer who continued to serve and protect his community until the final hours of his life.
Constable Timothy Proctor, 29, saved three lives when his family donated his organs before he tragically died of his injuries following a horrifying head-on car crash on Heathcote Rd in Sydney’s south in January.
His young widow Dianne Proctor said her husband was the most generous person she knew.
“I hope we never forget his sense of humour, his strong desire to serve his community, and his strange accent no-one could put their finger on,” Mrs Proctor said at his funeral.
“Goodbye my love, and I will see you again.”
Mrs Proctor laid a police teddy bear on Constable Proctor’s casket in honour of their unborn child, whom she refers to as Tim Junior.
“Tim made mundane daily chores fun and was someone you could always depend on,” Mrs Proctor said.
“I’m a better human being because of him and I’m so blessed to be his wife.
“His passing from this life has left an immense void in all our lives.”
Hundreds of police officers attended St Luke’s Catholic Church in Liverpool to honour their late colleague, who was promoted at his bedside from Probationary Constable to Constable by NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller.
Mr Fuller commended Constable Proctor’s sense of humour, kindness and inquisitive nature as he posthumously awarded his young colleague the National Police Medal and the NSW Police Medal just nine months after his first day at Liverpool City Police Area Command in May 2018.
“Tim was the “what if” guy in the class, and his supervisors had a tough time keeping up with the questions he asked,” Mr Fuller said.
“But that was Tim, and his passion for life and policing.”
His shattered colleagues smiled at the church doors as Mr Fuller recalled when Constable Proctor famously said he could outrun a kangaroo.
“With the challenge set his colleagues googled the average speed of a kangaroo,” (cruising speed of 44km per hour, same as Usain Bolt) and had Tim jump on a treadmill.
“While it was proved that day that Tim could not out run a kangaroo, he sure did give it a red hot go. Which in a small way captures his love for life.”
Constable Proctor’s friend Phil said the universe had robbed them far too soon of a wonderful friend, husband, son and police officer.
“Whether it was marrying a woman out of his league, pursuing the career he always dreamt of as a police officer, or being the Super Smash Brothers champion among our friends, he achieved whatever he set his mind to,” Phil said.
“I take some solace in the fact his life ended during the best years of it.”
Constable Proctor’s passion for video games that saw him to two of the greatest achievements of his life — meeting his wife, and then his policing career.
His stepfather said Constable Proctor met his wife online playing World of Warcraft — and she was his greatest champion as he pursued his dream career as a police officer.
“Luckily as a child he continued to play video games, although we did our best to stop him, because he met the love of his life through playing video games online,” he said.
“Dianne, I know how much you loved him and how you wanted to share your life with him forever — I’m so sorry we can’t make that happen.”
Police officers, emergency service workers and members of the public lined the streets in silence alongside Constable Proctor’s family and friends as a procession of motorcycles, horses, the police band and fellow officers led their late colleague out with honour through the area he called home and later pledged his life to.
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