Firefighters and emergency responders from Greene County and beyond honored Jefferson fire chief Randy Love and the Jefferson fire department Thursday afternoon.
Love, 56, died Sunday. He joined the Jefferson fire department in 1995 and was elected fire chief in 2009. He was a 36-year employee of Jefferson Telecom.
A memorial service was held Thursday morning at the Greene County High School auditorium. An estimated 225 persons, including the Jefferson fire department, the Jefferson police department, Greene County sheriff’s deputies and firefighters from other Greene County towns attended.
Pastor Sheldon Henderson of Central Christian Church offered words of comfort. Firefighters Dean Promes and Jack Williams spoke, as did Terry Becker.
Love was buried at the Carson Municipal Cemetery, a 2-1/2 hour drive from Jefferson. An honor guard of firetrucks and motorcycles (including members of the Patriot Guard) accompanied the funeral procession. The Perry and Carroll fire departments provided aerial trucks so the American flag could be hoisted over Elm St for the procession.
In Guthrie Center the fire department formed a human chain blocking the intersection at Highway 144. Fire trucks were parked on every overpass as the procession traveled 46 miles on Interstate 80.
The Harlan fire department had its trucks at the cemetery and provided an honor guard there.
According to one Jefferson firefighter, “It was a hard day, but it was something to see, that all those other departments helped us honor our chief.”
The Jeffferson fire department will elect a new chief soon. Dean Promes is assistant fire chief.
