A New York Police Department sergeant who never took a sick day in his 42-year career has died weeks shy of his retirement . Sgt Francis 'Buddy ' Murnane was just weeks away from his 63rd birthday when he died on Sunday after an apparent heart attack at his home on Staten Island . The NYPD said Murnane was the department 's longest-serving active officer . 'He was n't just my big brother , ' said Terence Murnane , a retired NYPD detective . 'He was my best friend . ' Sgt Francis 'Buddy ' Murnane ( right ) was just weeks away from his 63rd birthday when he died on Sunday after an apparent heart attack at his home on Staten Island . He joined the NYPD in 1973 - and had not taken one sick day ( pictured left in the 1980s ) He added : 'He was also the person I went to whenever I was stumped on a case because he had seen and done it all so many times . He always knew the answer . ' Murnane worked on nearly every major case in the last 20 years , including the 2011 killing of Brooklyn Officer Peter Figoski and the fatal stabbing of a six-year-old boy in an elevator last summer in east New York . 'If you are the bad guy , the worst of the worst ... Buddy Murnane has been part of the team looking for you to bring you to justice , ' then-Councilman James Oddo said at a 2010 City Hall ceremony , according to the Staten Island Advance . 'He has truly put community , city and country above all . ' His wake is being held on Wednesday at the Colonial Funeral Home . His funeral is Thursday . He would have reached mandatory retirement age on April 30 , his 63rd birthday . The highly regarded sergeant joined the New York City Housing Police Department on September 17 , 1973 . He served most recently in the Detective Bureau ’ s Major Case Squad . He was promoted to Detective in December 1981 and to Sergeant Detective Supervisor in June 1995 . A Police Combat Cross recipient , Sergeant Murnane , affectionately know to his friends as Buddy , was also honored 13 times for Excellent Police Duty and five times for Meritorious Police Duty . He is survived by his wife Linda , son Robert , daughter Kim and four granddaughters – Emily , Kaitlyn , Allison and Riley Frances . The distinguished NYPD sergeant and his wife Linda pictured with their new granddaughter earlier this month . Murnane passed away at his family home on Sunday .
Sgt Francis 'Buddy ' Murnane was weeks away from his 63rd birthday when he died suddenly on the last 20 years at his home on Staten Island . His brother , Terence Murnane , a retired NYPD detective , said : 'He was my best friend ... He always knew the answer ' Murnane worked on nearly every major case in Sunday , including the 2011 killing of Brooklyn Officer Peter Figoski .