Concord, MA – Massachusetts State Police Sergeant Maureen Wesinger-Lewis died on June 18 after “a long and valiant battle” with cancer, the agency said.

Sgt. Wesinger-Lewis, 55, served as a Massachusetts state trooper for 31 years and was a dedicated member of the agency’s Mounted Unit, the state police said in a Facebook post.

“While other departments disbanded mounted units because of budget reasons, the State Police unit thrived under Sergeant Wesinger-Lewis – the best champion it could have,” the agency noted. “She is remembered with much admiration as a special person, a great leader, and a strong advocate for horses and police mounted units.”

Sgt. Wesinger-Lewis was well-known as a “horse person,” but her devotion to horsemanship extended far beyond that of a casual hobbyist.

After serving in the mounted unit earlier in her career, Sgt. Wesinger-Lewis was named as the unit’s commander in 2013, the state police said.

“During her tenure leading the Mounted Unit, Sergeant Wesinger-Lewis grew the unit to 11 full-time Troopers and expanded its mission to year-round patrols of state parks, beaches, and reservations,” the agency noted. “She also cared deeply for the Troopers she led, always remembering details about them and such milestones as birthdays and anniversaries.”

Despite her illness, Sgt. Wesinger-Lewis remained “always positive, always upbeat, [and] always ready to work and to lead,” her department said.

She even helped to establish a training curriculum for the newly-created Worcester Police Mounted Unit during her cancer battle.

Sgt. Wesinger-Lewis also served the agency as an explosive detection K9 handler at Logan Airport for 17 years, and was a member of the Narcotics Inspection Unit, The Republican reported.

“As tough as any Trooper who ever wore the badge, Sergeant Wesinger-Lewis set a heroic example,” the state police said. “Throughout her long illness, as she fought fiercely against her disease, she did not let cancer keep her away from the job, and the horses and the Troopers, she loved.”

Sgt. Wesinger-Lewis was married to her husband, retired Massachusetts State Police Lieutenant Bill Lewis, for 27 years, according to her obituary .

She also leaves behind her daughter, Caitlyn Lewis, her stepdaughter, Jessica Straub, and her grandchildren, Ayla and Hudson, as well as many other friends and extended family members.

Sgt. Wesinger-Lewis was laid to rest on Tuesday.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Massachusetts State Police Sergeant Maureen Wesinger-Lewis, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.

Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.