October 6, 2009 – The Knoxville Fire Department held its annual Memorial Service Honoring Fallen Firefighters Tuesday at the KFD’s Headquarters Fire Station in downtown Knoxville.
The annual ceremony honored the 24 KFD firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty since 1885 and the 7 retired firefighters who have died since the last memorial service.
As part of the ceremony, attended by 150-180 active and retired firefighters and family and friends of those being honored, a bell tolled 31 times – once for each of the firefighters.
At the same time – as each firefighter’s name was read by Fire Chief Stan Sharp and the bell tolled – a single red rose was placed into a gold-colored vase bearing the department’s insignia.
City Firefighters Honor Fallen Firefighters in a Memorial Ceremony on Oct. 6
Mayor Bill Haslam and Chief Sharp spoke at the ceremony and a wreath was placed at the firefighter’s statue in Firefighter Memorial Park in front of the station.
Members of KFD who have died in the line of duty since 1885:
- Captain Robert L. Blankenship
- Fred Everett Boatman
- Chief Sam B. Boyd
- John. J. Dunn
- J.C. Flenniken
- Michael A. Fletcher
- Captain Howard O. Gray
- Captain William F. Maxey
- Captain Tom. F. Heagerty
- Henry Clay Lawless
- James H. May
- Louie McCaughan
- Captain Henry “Pat” Mitchell
- Raymond H. “Shorty” Nash
- Captain John O. “Slim” Pickens
- William Scott Popejoy, Jr.
- William C. Reed
- Lloyd C. Scruggs
- Fred M. “Jack” Sexton
- Carl Eugene Smith
- George H. Smith
- Captain Worley Smith
- Joe E. Tarwater
- Captain Charles E. Youngblood
Retired firefighters who died since the last memorial service:
- Crosby L. Drew, Jr.
- Alfred J. “Buddy” Foulks
- Troy E. Harrell
- Joseph L. Heath
- Clifford “C.L.” Lowe
- William J. “Bill” McCoy
- Chief Paul E. Warwick
The annual KFD Firefighter Retiree’s Luncheon followed the memorial service.
