Final preparations underway for Officer Corder's funeral

MILWAUKEE (CBS58) -- Max A. Sass & Sons is the funeral home preparing Officer Corder as he's laid to rest, providing funeral home service free of charge for the Corder family.

Funeral home director Marlowe Larsen says he's prepared three funerals in his career for a fallen officer, and while they may be different from others, the thing that's the same is the loss.

"Every funeral is important to that individual family, funerals of this magnitude or size, it’s a lot more community involvement," shared Larsen.

Larsen says that typically, a family makes all of the decisions for their loved ones when it comes to their funeral. However, there are some notable differences when it comes to an officer or military member. For example, the Milwaukee Police Department has a standard operating procedure which details essentially every element of a funeral, from the salutes, ceremonial detail staffing, how to get from one location to another, and more.

With so many eyes on this remembrance, he thanks the Corder family for their trust, "it’s an honor to help them, and I hope that what we're doing as a funeral home does in some way help the family and get them through this. And we’re here for them afterwards, too."

Larsen says he's gotten a chance to speak with officers during the preparation and has a message: "The officers I've had contact with are grieving, just like anyone else would. They lost a companion, teammate or whatever you want to say... we appreciate what you do as a community. Protecting the community."

Larsen says he expects around two to three thousand people to attend Officer Corder's funeral.

Officer Kendall Corder will be laid to rest at Wisconsin Memorial Park in Brookfield. 

Garrett Rose, the President and General Manager at Wisconsin Memorial Park, said the past few days have been spent planning the procession. 

“With thousands of people going to be in the park tomorrow afternoon, there’s much more conversation about the procession, so who is going to be where, when and why,” Rose said. “The last couple days have been spent with the Milwaukee Police Department and the Brookfield Police Department planning the procession.” 

Rose said this is the third time in the past five years the historic cemetery has been involved in this process. 

“Once Mr. Corder is laid here, it’s forever,” Rose said. “[The Corder family] will forever be one of our families.”

American flags that were initially on display at Wisconsin Memorial Park for the Fourth of July holiday were expanded along the route where Corder’s body will be transported on Friday, July 11. As a gift to the Corder family, the space he will be buried will be provided free of cost. 

“‘We have a program called the Public Service program. So, anyone that’s killed in the line of duty who is a public servant, we offer our services and a place of rest for absolutely no cost.” Rose said. “We feel that this is the least that we could do to give back to not only these families but our greater Milwaukee community.” 

The Corder family will be able to have a private moment with Officer Corder’s body at Wisconsin Memorial Park, marking the end of services on Friday, July 11.