Veteran Palatine police officer Mark Dahlem died Tuesday February 5, 2019. Palatine Chief Alan Stoeckel said Dahlem, a Cary resident, died at 4:11 p.m.
Dahlem learned he had glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer in December 2017 eight days after seeing a doctor for severe headaches. Dahlem underwent emergency surgery to remove a tumor, and learned it was glioblastoma multiforme five days after the surgery.
Dahlem returned to full-time duty last year but had a setback when doctors found a tumor in late October 2018. Kimberly Dahlem, 46, said her husband had surgery New Year’s Eve and seemed well enough to ask when he could resume working full time and return to coaching youth sports.
Dahlem, 48, the married father of two children, entered JourneyCare hospice in Barrington on January 18, 2019. Police officers were at Dahlem’s room 24 hours a day after he went on hospice care.
Family, friends, law enforcement colleagues and others rallied behind him during his entire battle with cancer. On Friday, February 1, 2019, four days before his death, colleagues honored him with a retirement ceremony at his hospice care room. Dahlem received a retirement plaque for his service from 1995 to 2019 as part of the ceremony. Palatine Police Chief Alan Stoeckel called Dahlem a “solid cop’s cop” at the ceremony. About 60 police officers and Chief Stoeckel honored Dahlem with the retirement ceremony.
During Dahlem’s law enforcement career, he was a patrol officer, field training officer, juvenile officer, a crime scene technician for 14 years, and the Fremd High School liaison officer.
Dahlem is survived by his wife Kimberly, a 15-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son.
Information about services was not initially available.
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