Hall County school resource officer loses month-long battle with COVID-19
Deputy Chris Bachelor (Hall County Sheriff's Office)
HALL COUNTY, Ga. - Flags in Hall County are flying at half-staff to honor a beloved school resource officer who lost his month-long battle with COVID-19 on Wednesday morning.
Deputy Chris Bachelor, 42, passed away at Northeast Georgia Medical Center around 5:31 a.m. after nearly a month of battling the disease, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
"The men and woman of the Hall County Sheriff’s Office always hope and pray that days like this never come – the passing of a brother, colleague, and friend," a post on the Hall County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page reads.
Deputy Bachelor was with the sheriff’s office for 14 years and had been assigned to C.W. Davis Middle School for the past six years as his primary assignment, the sheriff’s office said.
"Chris will surely be missed not only by the SRO unit but by numerous students, staff and faculty at (his schools)," North Hall High School SRO Sgt. Jeff Fleming said. "Chris was a quiet person, but watch out, all of a sudden he would make a comment out of nowhere and have you laughing."
Family, friends, and colleagues remember Bachelor as being a "protector, servant, mentor and counselor rolled into one."
"Officer Bachelor was a proud member of our Davis Falcon Family," Principal Mike McQueen said. "He was a friend, colleague, and a brother to us all. There are no words to express the heartbreak and sadness we feel at this time. Chris loved Davis Middle School and our community and always served both with a smile. I know I speak for all of us at DMS when I say he will be missed beyond measure. His legacy and impact will live on, but it will not truly be measured until eternity."
Bachelor also had previous postings at Flowery Branch and Friendship elementary schools and would later follow some of those students to his new posting at Davis Middle and would see many former students while working football games on Friday nights.
Bachelor worked his way through the ranks starting as a jail officer hired in April 2007. He graduated from the police academy two years later and became a sworn deputy. He would become part of the warrants unit in February 2011, spending four years in the community.
But Deputy Bachelor was seemingly called to becoming a school resource officer in the Hall County School District in January 2015, where he served until earlier this month.
"Chris was loved and respected by all that knew him," Sheriff Gerald Couch said. "He touched many lives in a positive manner, and we will miss him greatly."
Bachelor leaves behind a wife and an 11-year-old daughter.
His family will receive friends on Sunday at Little & Davenport Funeral Home from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. and again Monday at Christ Place Church from 2 p.m. until the funeral hour. Funeral services will be held Monday at 3 p.m. at Christ Place Church. Interment will follow in the Lebanon United Methodist Church Cemetery. The family request everyone wears a mask.
Memorial contributions can be made to his daughter's college fund at ugift529.com using the code U5B-26R.
Condolences can be made at littledavenport.com.
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