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Obituary

Beloved police officer dies from rare form of cancer

The St. Petersburg man brought happiness into the lives of many, the police chief says.

By ALEX LEARY
Published December 28, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Tim Mandley, a longtime St. Petersburg police officer who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer earlier this year, died Monday (Dec. 26, 2005) at home. He was 42.

"He was the bravest man I've ever met," said his wife, April. "He fought this long and he fought it hard."

Police Chief Chuck Harmon notified the department on Tuesday.

"Today," he wrote in a memorandum, "his "other family' mourns the loss of a very fine officer and friend. Tim was a quiet yet jovial individual who brought happiness into the lives of many. He will surely be missed."

Mandley was diagnosed with anaplastic cancer, the rarest and deadliest kind of thyroid cancer, in February. Only about 1 in 10 patients are alive three years after diagnosis.

"I'm not going to get down about it," Mandley told the St. Petersburg Times in July. "I'm not going to let it kill me." He paused, then added, "Okay, I guess it might kill me, but I'm not going to let it get me down."

His wife said he was hopeful about a drug trial in early January at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa. Mandley was eager to return to work, where he helped train new officers.

But earlier this month, his condition worsened considerably and he was given weeks to live.

On Christmas Eve, Mandley met with his ex-wife and made peace and also saw his children. He had two sons from the previous marriage and two stepsons.

"He was the best man in the world," his wife said. "If I could I would have taken the cancer from him and dealt with it."

Growing up in a family of police officers, Mandley joined the department in 1984 and spent most of his tenure patrolling District 1, the southern parts of the city.

Like many young officers, he joined "to make a difference, to help people," he said during the July interview.

"We see people when they are the most scared, the most in need. I like helping them through those problems."

Officer Mandley's colleagues on Tuesday expressed condolences and shared stories on a Web message board. One officer recalled how Mandley put off a vacation to make sure he got through a training program.

"Tim stood by me and believed in me at times when I doubted myself," the officer wrote. "The last time I talked to Tim on the phone he was in great spirits. In parting words, he told me to take care of myself and family; after all, that's what life is about."

The viewing will be held Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Anderson-McQueen Funeral & Cremation Centers-N.E., 2201 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St.

A memorial service will follow Saturday at 1 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 701 Beach Drive NE.

[Last modified December 28, 2005, 01:04:31]