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Wife of West Jordan officer thanks community for help, support

Posted at 1:26 PM, Jan 05, 2015
and last updated 2015-01-05 15:28:33-05

WEST JORDAN, Utah – The wife of West Jordan Officer Jedediah “JR” Steadman is thanking the community for its help and support after her husband’s body was found Sunday.

She wrote on Facebook:

“My children and I would like to express our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for all the love and support we needed and continue to receive from our family, friends, ward, fellow officers, their spouses and members of the public.
How do we thank you for the countless hours you all spent away from your families to pray with us, to cry with us, to worry and hope with us and to search for JR? There were many times we wanted to public thank you and beg for his safe return, we were advised not to, and the pain we were and are experiencing is unbearable. I had to protect myself and my children.
Being a police officer was JR’s dream, aside from his family it was his life. He loved his job and was so proud to be an officer and be such a positive figure in the community. He was and will continue to be a role model to so many. JR valued, admired and respected his fellow officers and was proud to call them his brothers/sisters. The generosity, love and support the force has given to us during this time has been a great comfort and we will forever be grateful.
JR had a great love for children, but the love he has for his children was by far the greatest unconditional love a father could have and give his children. Our children will forever carry his legacy, love and memory with them, they lost their best friend!
JR had a great love for our Heavenly Father, he expressed that love daily through his work, with our church,with his friendships and with his family.
JR I love you with all my heart! There will never be a day that you will not be in my heart and in my mind, I cannot express how broken I am.
I can only thank our Heavenly Father for the years he gave me with you and our children. My love is true and deep and I will forever be blessed for the life we had together, for the family we created together. I will never be whole again. Thank you for all you gave to our children and to me. I love you! My children and I miss and love JR so much, the grief we have hurts beyond words!
The world has lost a valiant soldier, a man of great faith, honor and love.”
His loving wife,
Jessica Steadman

Officer Steadman was missing almost a week before his body was found in his truck at the base of a cliff in a remote area of Sevier County Sunday morning.

According to West Jordan Police,  “It appears that JR missed a turn and went off the road and over the cliff. Our investigation is continuing.”

Authorities said Officer Steadman was reported missing after getting into an argument with his wife.

Steadman was a seven-year veteran officer with West Jordan Police Department.

West Jordan officers said Steadman is an avid outdoorsman and liked to fish and hunt.