Colleagues mourn lawman's passing

PONDERAY - A beloved lawman with a nearly 30-year career in Bonner County has lost his battle with cancer.

Stephen W. Maurer died on Thursday at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash. He was 59.

"He was a great officer to work with," said Ponderay Police Chief Mike Hutter, who worked alongside Maurer for 22 years. "He had a good head on his shoulders and he was always professional."

During his yearlong battle with the disease, Maurer underwent two major surgeries and incurred enormous bills.

A benefit auction has been organized to help his family cope with the daunting medical expenses. It's set for Friday, March 5, at the Ponderay Events Center.

The event features a chili feed, a drawing, in addition to silent and live auctions. Donations are being sought and raffle tickets are being sold for a Remington Model 700 SPS rifle, two season tickets to the Festival at Sandpoint and a one-hour scenic flight over the Sandpoint area for two people.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner starts at 6 p.m. The drawing is at 8 p.m. and participants do not need to be present to win.

Raffle tickets are $5 apiece or five for $20. Tickets are being sold and donations are being accepted at the Ponderay, Priest River and Sandpoint police departments, as well as the Bonner County Sheriff's Office.

Maurer was diagnosed with colon cancer last April and underwent surgery the following May. While hospitalized, doctors discovered cancer in his liver and he underwent chemotherapy three times a week.

In December, surgeons removed half of his liver and he was admitted to Sacred Heart's intensive-care unit, where he developed a serious infection and other complications.

Maurer was employed by the Sandpoint Police Department from 1981 to 2006, where he retired with the rank of captain. He resumed his law enforcement career in 2008 by working for the Ponderay Police Department.

Maurer is survived by his wife, Robin, and eight children - one of whom is serving overseas in Iraq.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling Maurer's pending funeral arrangements and is hosting an on-line memorial (www.lakeviewfuneral.com). Tributes to Maurer and fundraising information can also be found on the social networking site Facebook.