WINDHAM — A police captain who valiantly battled cancer for years died Wednesday.
Patrick D. "Rick" Yatsevich, 46, of East Hampstead was mourned yesterday by fellow officers and others.
"He fought a long and hard battle against cancer," Sgt. Carl Wagner said. "We feel terrible for the family."
Yatsevich leaves his wife, Kerri, and their three children, Kimberly, Jared and Jordan.
Sgt. Glenn Record said Yatsevich was a family man, who was religious and very professional.
"He was a family first guy," Record said.
He said his favorite memory of Yatsevich was the fine benediction he gave at the retirement of police Chief Bruce Moeckel in 2005.
Yatsevich left work in May 2008 on disability. Town employees donated six months of earned time to bring Yatsevich's income to its former level.
He was named Windham's Employee of the Year in February 2008.
Yatsevich started his law enforcement career in Claremont in 1981 as a dispatcher, and later became a patrol officer and captain with that department.
He also worked a year in Atkinson as a police prosecutor and captain in 1998-1999.
Atkinson police Chief Phil Consentino said yesterday he was saddened to hear of Yatsevich's death.
"He was a good man," Consentino said.
Yatsevich joined the Windham police force in 1999.
In 2000, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor that was surgically removed.
In June 2006, a cancerous tumor was found on his spine. The multiple myeloma cancer put him out of work for a year. His cancer went into near complete remission and he returned to work in June 2007.
Bruce Breton, vice chairman of the Windham Board of Selectmen, said he became close to Yatsevich during the time he was out of work. Breton had suffered a heart attack around the same time.
The two would talk. Often the topic was police service; the subjects ranged from traffic flow to Tasers.
Breton said Yatsevich carried himself as a professional.
"When you walked into his office, you could tell he was a career police officer," Breton said.
In early 2008, blood tests revealed that his cancer had returned. He underwent chemotherapy.
Yatsevich died at Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill.
Relatives and friends may call today from 2 to 6 p.m. at Brookside Chapel and Funeral Home, 116 Main St., Plaistow.
His funeral will be at 1 p.m. tomorrow at St. Matthew's Church, Main Street, Sandown. Burial will follow in Lakeview Cemetery in Hampstead. Friends and family will gather after the service at Sandown Town Hall.
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