Border Patrol Agent funeral celebrates his love for family and service

CREATED Oct. 8, 2012

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  • About 1000 people were at services for Nick Ivie Video by kgun9.com

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  • A neighbor described how Nick Ivey was always the guy outside playing with his daughters

  • One of his friends read a cowboy style love poem Nick Ivie wrote his wife Christy while he was away at the Border Patrol Academy

Reporter: Craig Smith

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz (KGUN9-TV) - Family, friends and fellow agents came together in faith, for a farewell for fallen Border Patrol Agent Nick Ivie.

The service was so emotional, some speakers choked up the moment they started to speak 
      
The service was in a large church -- with seats for about 1,000. But so many people wanted to say goodbye to Nick Ivie that the church set up video feeds to seven other meeting houses in order to accommodate all the people who wanted to see the service.

As an honor guard posted the colors, uniformed law enforcement and civilians saluted a man who served his country with all the dangers that involves. But they also paid their respects to a man who loved trucks, his friends, his faith and most of all, his family.
        
Agent Aaron Kerr went to the Border Patrol Academy with Nick Ivie and became his neighbor in a neighborhood where Nick Ivie was known as the man always playing with his kids.
        
Kerr quoted a poem Ivie wrote his wife Christy when he was away from her at the academy.

"Its so obvious to me that XXL is my angel's heart size. Lucky for me, I got first prize. I love you sweetheart."

Nick Ivie's brother Joel joined Border Patrol before him.
 
He described a fun loving brother who sought out ways to serve -- as a Mormon Missionary, volunteer firefighter, paramedic and finally, a Border Patrol Agent.

The brothers rode together sometime on horse patrol.  Joel remembers Nick's love for his horse, a formerly wild mustang whose freeze-damaged, rounded off ears earned him the name "Mouse".
   
Another agent told Joel about the cold morning he rode the border with Nick Ivie and Mouse.

"The other agent looks over to Nick and his horse and Nick's not there but the horse is. He's looking around. Where'd Nick go?  Nick was down just hugging the horse, just keeping him warm."
    
The congregation's Bishop, Spencer Forsberg remembers Nick Ivie’s strong faith and how Nick Ivie led the service the Sunday before he died.

"I pray you will always remember his kindness,  his warm gentle smile,  his care and concern for you and his compassion for others."

Nick Ivie’s brother revealed a poignant piece of information as he spoke. He said Nick Ivie knew the hills and trails so well, that he was the agent,  who placed the motion sensor that later called him to the spot where he died.