Incident
Trooper Renee Padgett died as the result of developing a rare form of blood cancer following her exposure to toxic chemicals during an investigation.
She was assisting with a large-scale environmental crimes investigation along with members of the United States Environment Protection Agency at the Japanese Auto Wrecking located at 7777 S 262nd Street in Kent, Washington. Employees at the site had dumped thousands of gallons of petroleum products and other toxic substances directly in the ground over a period of several years.
Trooper Padgett was exposed to the substances during the prolonged investigation after she and EPA investigators first visited the site on February 27th, 2003.
She passed away on September 4th, 2018.
Trooper Padgett is survived by her wife, son, daughter, mother, and two sisters.
Survivors
Trooper Padgett is survived by her wife, son, daughter, mother, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
27 years. You could have gone home.
Trooper Padgett gave the Washington State Patrol 27 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of Washington. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Padgett.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Illness
Washington State Patrol has lost 34 officers; 2 of them lost to illness.
Suzanne is one of 19 officers lost to illness in WA, 5.6% of the 340 remembered there.
Suzanne is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Suzanne is one of 2,979 officers lost to illness worldwide, 8.7% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2018, 1 officer in WA was lost to illness, the 3rd heaviest of 11 years on record. The heaviest was 2020, with 6.
In 2018, 56 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 6th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.
In 2018, 57 officers worldwide were lost to illness, the 6th heaviest of 197 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 566.
Who
Suzanne was 50. Of the 19 lost to illness in WA whose age is recorded, half were between 40 and 58.5; the middle age was 49. Suzanne had served 27 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
Suzanne was 50. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Suzanne had served 27 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
Suzanne was 50. Of the 2,916 lost to illness worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 39 and 56; the middle age was 49. Suzanne had served 27 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
When
September holds 15.8% of these deaths in WA; December holds the most, 15.8%. Tuesdays: 15.8%.
September holds 11.2% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Tuesdays: 13.3%.
September holds 9.8% of these deaths worldwide; October holds the most, 12.6%. Tuesdays: 13.8%.
How
Illness deaths account for 5.9% of all 34 deaths at Washington State Patrol, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 5.6% of all 340 deaths in WA, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 8.7% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 3rd most common cause.
Her people
Washington State Patrol has 34 officers remembered here, Suzanne among them.
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Vernon G. Fortin
Sep 30, 1923
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Irving M. Thorsvig
Oct 26, 1926
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Conard C. Tolson
Mar 24, 1929
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Henry Douglas Cossmann
Oct 9, 1929
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William H. Pautzke
May 8, 1930
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Loren G. Ray
Dec 16, 1934
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Allen E. Ludden
Mar 15, 1938
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John H. Gulden
Dec 23, 1942
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Thomas J. Hanlin
May 26, 1945
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Paul H. Johnson
Dec 12, 1949
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Ivan Belka
Aug 18, 1951
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Donald R. Campbell
Dec 21, 1951
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John F. Wright
Jun 28, 1953
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Eugene A. Bolstad
Sep 3, 1957
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Ernest E. Eichhorn
Sep 16, 1958
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Wesley H. Whittenberg
Dec 29, 1960
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Clarence C. Johnson
Sep 8, 1968
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Charles Frank Noble
Feb 5, 1972
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Joseph B. Modlin
Aug 15, 1974
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Thomas L. Hendrickson
Nov 17, 1974
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Glenda Darlene Thomas
May 24, 1985
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James S. Gain
Mar 2, 1987
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Clifford R. Hansell
Jul 22, 1987
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Raymond L. Hawn
Jan 17, 1990
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Steven Lee Frink
Mar 22, 1993
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James E. Saunders
Oct 7, 1999
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Tony Vian Radulescu
Feb 23, 2012
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Sean Michael O'Connell, Jr.
May 31, 2013
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Brent L. Hanger
Aug 6, 2015
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Suzanne Padgett
Sep 4, 2018
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Justin Robert Schaffer
Mar 24, 2020
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Eric Thomas Gunderson
Sep 26, 2021
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Christopher M. Gadd
Mar 2, 2024
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Tara-Marysa Guting
Dec 19, 2025
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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