Bethany Police Mourn Loss Of Chaplain

Bethany police mourn one of their own killed in an auto-pedestrian accident on Thursday night.

A van hit Bethany police chaplain Wally Renegar as he tried to cross N.W. 39th Expressway. The officers who were first to the scene of the accident quickly discovered the Bethany Police Department suffered a significant loss.

Chaplain Renegar made his last visit to the police department the day before he died. While at the police station, he visited with Chief Phil Cole.

"Our department lost a brother who stood shoulder to shoulder with us during some of our most devastating times," Cole said.

Renegar served as the police chaplain for six years and is noted as always expressing his love for his family, church family at Bethany First church of the Nazarene, and the Bethany police department.

Judy Bell brought food to officers because she believes it is what Wally would have wanted.

"The best thing about Wally is everybody loved him and he had our Sunday school class pray for police officers every week," she said.

In addition to counseling officers, the retired minister also prayed with student athletes at Southern Nazarene University.

Bobby Martin, SNU athletic director and close friend to Wally, said he attended more than 100 basketball games after retiring as their team chaplain.

With tear-filled eyes, Martin said, "He juggled so much of his family and they say he was always there for them, the Bethany police and they say he was always there for them and this athletic department. It's amazing."

Martin says Wally was at a game on Thursday night when he went back to his car to get something, but never returned. Now an entire community is feeling the loss.