AVON, Ohio -- A sign hangs on the side of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church that reads: "May the angels lead you to paradise and the martyrs welcome you."

The message pays tribute to the life of Cleveland Heights Officer Jason West who was killed last week while responding to a complaint of a street fight on Altamont Avenue. West's parents and sister were with him when he died.

The funeral processional to the church for West, 31, got under way about 10 a.m. Thursday from Miscenic Funeral Home to St. Mary's on Stoney Ridge Road in Avon. The processional that included hundreds of police officers from all over was led by a horse-drawn hearse carrying his flag-draped casket.

A processional from the church to the cemetery passed by slain Officer Jason West's childhood home before heading to the Resthaven Memory Gardens Cemetery.

The Catholic funeral Mass at 11 a.m. was private for family and friends.

During the processional, several residents, including children, lined the route to pay tribute to West, who is being remembered for loving his family and friends. He also touched people of all walks of life.

West also loved motorcycles and recently purchased a Harley-Davidson. A Harley was part of the processional, but it is unclear if the motorcycle belonged to him.

West, who was a football and baseball player at Avon High School, is the third police officer in Cleveland Heights to be killed in the line of duty.

In honor of West, Avon canceled classes. Seniors, however, reported to take their final examinations.

West was also a graduate of Tiffin University.

West is being remembered as always wanting to be a police officer. Many said he loved serving and protecting the community.

His passion for his job earned him a promotion as investigator in Cleveland Heights.

Tributes

On Wednesday night, people slowly filed into a Miscenic Funeral Home in Avon to pay their respects to West.

At the same time, people in the community he served held a candlelight vigil at Cleveland Heights City Hall.

They prayed and sang songs, along with having a moment of silence.

They also lit candles as they thanked West and his family for the sacrifice he made for his community.