CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — Danielle Justice said her dad had a lot of titles. He was a husband, father, and business owner.
But more than anything, William Garlick was steady.
"The kind of steady you build a life on," Justice said. "The kind of steady that makes you feel safe by just being near him," Justice said.
WATCH: Hundreds honor Charlotte County corrections lieutenant killed in motorcycle crash:
On Saturday, Justice eulogized her father in front of hundreds of people at the Babcock Ranch Field House. The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office said Garlick died in a motorcycle crash last Saturday.
Garlick was headed home from work, the Sheriff's Office said, when he was killed. According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Garlick died when an SUV turned in front of his motorcycle at Cleveland and Delft Avenues. LCSO said the crash remains under investigation
Garlick, was a corrections Lieutenant with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. His family said he dedicated his life to serving others and leading by example.
Garlick graduated from North Fort Myers High School before studying at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, according to his family.
He went on to serve as a CERT Team Leader and earned two Lifesaver Awards during his career, his family said.
"A man defined by character, humility, and an unwavering sense of responsibility," said his son, Brock Garlick.
Danielle said her father was a smart, funny, and humble man. Garlick loved motorcycles, hunting, and the Georgia Bulldogs, Justice said. But more than anything, Garlick loved his family.
The siblings explained that Garlick is not their biological father. Garlick met his wife when she was a young single mother of two, Brock said.
"When he fell in love with my mother, he didn't just accept that he had children. He embraced it," Brock said, choking up. "Kids who weren't biologically his, yet he never allowed us to feel anything less."
Garlick played football, baseball, and track at North Fort Myers High School, Justice said. Garlick's love of the outdoors led him to study wildlife management at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Garlick worked at Babcock Ranch after college, Justice said. He managed controlled burns and started an alligator harvesting program.
Later, Garlick launched his own trucking company.
"Every single Saturday we'd go to the shop and he'd spend all day cleaning, detailing, and greasing the tires and brakes. But we didn't get to play," Justice said, smiling. "We had to participate in the hard work."
"He always said, before people meet you, they're judging how you present yourself, so make it count," Justice said. "And he did."
After the economic recession of 2008, Garlick went into law enforcement.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office said Garlick joined the department in 2011 as a deputy at the county jail.
Sheriff Bill Prummell called him “a dedicated member of the agency, a leader, a family man, and a friend to many.”
Garlick became the go-to-man for cuddles and comfort after his grandchildren were born in 2015, Justice said.
Law enforcement from around the region - including Lee County, Collier County, Cape Coral, and North Port - all attended the ceremony.
"Beyond all the jobs, records, and titles, my dad was home," Justice said. "He was a safe place, the person you called when life felt heavy. He didn't fill space with noise. He filled it with presence. Strong, quiet, and dependable presence."
