Tears. Smiles. Laughter. Stories.
Family, old friends, new friends and law enforcement officials from different agencies gathered inside First Baptist Church of Ocala early Friday afternoon to say their goodbyes to Mike McQuaig.
Before the service began, McQuaig’s brown casket, covered by the American flag with two honor guards posted at opposite ends, was at the front of the podium.
A military veteran, McQuaig was Dunnellon Police chief from 2016 to 2023. McQuaig began his career at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, where he worked for 30 years. Aside from his career in law enforcement, McQuaig worked for the U.S. State Department, training law enforcement officers overseas, and as an investigator for the State Attorney’s Office, specializing in cold cases.
McQuaig, 75, died at his Morriston residence on Feb. 1.
Remembering Mike McQuaig
Pastor Russ Randall of First Baptist Church of Dunnellon led off the service by welcoming the hundreds of men, women and children at the huge Ocala church.