GRAND RAPIDS, Ohio — Father, grandfather, uncle, friend, Waterville Fire Chief - Steve Parsons held many titles - including one that many community members could all agree on - Local Hero.
On Saturday afternoon, community members gathered in Grand Rapids to say their final goodbye.
"I've known him my whole life, said Cuyler Kepling, Swanton Fire Chief and Steve's nephew. "He's my uncle, so over 30 years now. "
" I've known Steve since 1992. He was fire chief when I joined," said Jack Myers, firefighter and first responder. "Great guy. Lead me through all my training in the fire department."
Parsons passed away on January 30th. His death brought tears and a heavy sadness to the community, as his more than 50 years of firefighting influenced so many lives in Waterville, Grand Rapids and the greater Toledo area. Both in and out of the fire station.
"With his 53 years of fire service, he brought a lot of knowledge," said Kepling. "He was a teacher for the State Fire School in Bowling Green."
Ever since he started in Grand Rapids, his hometown, his goal was to help train the next generation of firefighters.
"That was one of his passions," said Kepling, "not only teaching the firefighters, but the young kids and public education in October's Fire Prevention week."
Between his years many years of service in the department and his welcoming spirit, Parson became a role model to many and even managed to get his family to join the fire department.
"I was probably ten-years old and once a month I'd follow him around the fire station trying to learn what it was like to be a firefighter, because that was what I wanted to do one day," said Kepling. "If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't be in the fire service today."
Along with teaching his family about the life of a firefighter, Parsons was a family-man, who put family first over anything.
"Whenever the opportunity arose, he'd have his family at the fire station," said Myers. "He'd be showing all the kids the fire trucks and having them try on the fire gear. "
Steve Parsons was 73-years-old.
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