Victor Lozada Jr. sang an echoing, perfect-pitch performance of "Ave Maria" on Friday to honor his father, a Dallas police officer who died while escorting the motorcade of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The Dallas Morning News

The 22-year-old, who studies classical singing at the University of North Texas, drew applause when he shared a favorite bit of wisdom from his father.

"Please remember to do what makes you happy," he said to the 4,500 mourners who packed Plano's Prestonwood Baptist Church to honor his father Senior Cpl. Victor Lozada.

Senior Cpl. Lozada died Feb. 22 as he escorted Mrs. Clinton's motorcade to an Oak Cliff rally.

Mrs. Clinton, was among the mourners who paid respects Friday to the husband and father of four who had been a Dallas police officer for 20 years. He was 49.

Cpl. Lozada joined the motorcycle unit a little over a month ago after many years driving a Chevy Camaro in the traffic unit . He had been a community policing officer before that.

His colleagues remembered him with words and song at Friday's service.

Dallas police Senior Cpl. Robert Garcia spoke of the long hours of hard work put in by his friend and former partner.

"He did it for you, Theresa. He did it for you Victor Jr., Lisa, Stephanie, David," he said, addressing the fallen officer's wife and children.

He closed his remarks with a final sign-off for Cpl. Lozada: "Dallas police badge 5761 on the double six, end of tour for the last time."

The service ended shortly before 1 p.m., as officers dressed in navy blue filed past the coffin. Many saluted as they passed; others made the sign of the cross over their chests.

Earlier Friday morning, a procession of police motorcycles and cruisers set out from Fair Park in Dallas to the Plano church.

Traffic along the route came to a halt to make way for the procession, which inlcuded officers from from as far as Baltimore and New Orleans. Also included in the procession were a handful of low riders, including a Dallas police cruiser once driven by Cpl. Lozada in an effort to reach out to teens, the hood emblazoned with an airbrush painting of his badge.

Plano police advised the public that local roads would be closed Friday afternoon as the procession moved from the church to Restland Cemetery in Dallas.