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| OC family attends dedication of memorial to fallen firefighters |
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Posted: Thursday, September 24, 2009 9:02 pm
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A firefighter whose death in 1959 is Union City’s only line-of-duty death was among fallen firefighters from across the state honored at the recent dedication of the Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Bell Buckle.
Union City firefighter Robert Owen “Bobby” Webb died the evening of Jan. 15, 1959, after becoming ill while fighting a fire at the former Todd Street Assembly of God church.
A physician indicated 34-year-old Webb died of a heart attack brought on by the exertion, the smoke and the general excitement of the fire, according to a story in the Jan. 16, 1959, edition of The Messenger.
Webb had been a member of the Union City Fire Department for 12 years, was a veteran of World War II and was a partner with his father in the former W.P. Webb & Son Welding and Machine on Perkins Street. At the time of his death, he was a captain for the fire department and was third in command.
His survivors include his wife, Bonnie Webb of Union City; a son, Ronnie Webb of Rives, who was 11 years old when his father died; and two daughters, Donna (Webb) Glover of Paducah, Ky., and Anita (Webb) Halford of Union City, who were ages 9 and 5, respectively, when their father died.
Webb’s widow and three children — as well as a daughter-in-law, a granddaughter and two great-grandchildren — comprised the group of family members who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication of the Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial on Sept. 11 in Bell Buckle. Mrs. Webb was joined by Ronnie and his wife, Paula, and their daughter, Dana Mabry of the Nashville area, and grandchildren, Christopher Mabry and Callie Mabry; Mrs. Halford, the wife of Ray Halford; and Mrs. Glover, the wife of Jim Glover.
In addition to the families of those honored, the long-awaited dedication ceremony was attended by firefighters and dignitaries from across Tennessee, with officials estimating total attendance at the event at nearly 700 people.
The keynote speaker was James Daughetee, the father of fallen firefighter Shane Daughetee, who was killed in the line of duty in Bradley County in January 2007. Shane, 24, was his only child.
The memorial — located on the grounds of the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy in northern Bedford County — honors the many men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities and neighbors.
Fund raising efforts for the memorial began six years ago with the inaugural Tennessee Ultimate Firefighter TUFF Challenge, which is held in September each year. In its aftermath, a committee was formed from fire service organizations across the state to continue the efforts of raising money and to create public awareness.
An additional means of fund raising was the purchase of bricks that allowed individuals, fire departments and companies to have a brick inscribed and installed on the walkway leading into the memorial’s Circle of Honor, which includes the names of the fallen firefighters on bronze plaques.
Several companies stepped up to help with the construction. Hart Freeland and Roberts donated and completed the conceptual drawings, while companies such as IMI, Contec, Wright Paving, B&W Excavating, Haynes Services Electric, N&S Waterproofing, WASCO and American Contractors, as well as the ag class of Community High School in Unionville, donated time or services for the first phase of the project.
The Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial is a monument to the spirit, commitment and sacrifice of those firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty. It also provides the citizens of Tennessee with a place to honor the fallen and to inspire young men and women to follow in their brave footsteps, according to those involved in the effort.
“A committee of very dedicated people has worked very hard to get to this point,” said Ed Kay, Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial president and Sparta’s fire chief. “We are proud of what we have accomplished for our state’s first responders and for the families of our fallen heroes.”
On average, two firefighters perish each year in Tennessee. Records show 197 firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty from 1875 to 2009, with 26 firefighters losing their lives from 2000 to 2009. No firefighter fatalities were recorded for 2008.
For more information about the Tennessee Fallen Firefighter Memorial, visit the Web site www.tnffmemorial.com.
Published in The Messenger 9.24.09 |
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