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WOOD COUNTY, Texas (KETK)- Friends of Wood County Sheriff’s Office deputy Melissa Pollard are remembering her after she lost her life in a fatal crash on Wednesday.

“Not only did she serve the community, she was a part of the community, now we have a big hole,” friend of Pollard, Joe Ammons said.

Melissa Pollard, 47 of Quitman, joined the Wood County Sheriff’s Office in 2016 and made East Texas her home.

“She’s a wonderful person, fantastic deputy sheriff and great law enforcement person who gave of her heart and her time,” Ammons said.

“She was spunky, she was witty, and she was going to tell you what you’re doing was good, and she was going to let you know if what you’re doing was probably not your best idea,” Boom Nutrition owner Katrina Yager said.

Her friends and family said she loved dogs, her grandchildren and the people of Wood County. Pollard came to the aid of her friend Katrina Yager when she lost her daughter eight years ago. Now, Yager is returning the favor by donating 50 percent of her sales and collecting donations at Boom Nutrition in Mineola for the deputy’s family.

“There’s no better way to honor my daughter, Mason, than to be able to give back and pay it forward to a family that was there for me when I was where they are now,” Yager said.

Pollard’s friend, Joe Ammons, said he can’t believe she’s is gone and that he thinks the community will never be the same.

“Every holiday you can tell it was Melissa’s house, because I don’t care if was Halloween that yard was fully decorated, and we’re going to miss that,” Ammons said.

Wood County standing with the deputy’s family.

“We grieve with you. The entire community has an open void now that Melissa’s gone, and it’s going to take a long time to ever fill that void,” Ammons said.

Yager and Ammons hope East Texans remember Pollard’s smiling face and her dedication to her community. On Friday, the sheriff’s office shared that Pollard’s funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16 at Green Acres Baptist Church which is located at 1607 Troup Highway in Tyler.