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Grand honor! to such brave brothers; let the shout sweep to the sky. Weave garlands round their memories as the ages swiftly fly, Over each Fireman's hallowed grave write with honor's pen: Here lieth one who delighted to aid his fellow men! -- verse from "Ode to our firemen" published in the National Fireman's Journal, Feb. 9, 1878   The Fire Museum Network has lost four valuable individuals in recent years. While their lives have ended on earth, their legacys live on in the museums they helped create, and in the lives they touched. Here, lest we forget, are memorials to our own.... William J. Mcrossen Francis X. Pendl • Chris Clune • Fred Conway • David Buskey William James McCrossen -- July 11, 2004 From the New Orleans Times-Picayune --Monday, July 12, 2004 Longtime Fire Chief William McCrossen dies, Irish Channel native a 51-year firefighter William James McCrossen, believed to be the eldest fire chief in America when he retired at 79 in 1993, died Sunday at the Lindy Boggs Medical Center in New Orleans. He was 90. Mr. McCrossen served 51 years with the Fire Department, nearly 20 as superintendent. His career was interrupted only by two years of service as a Navy Seabee in the South Pacific during World War II. Among his many accomplishments was championing the 1975 state statute requiring sprinkler systems in high-rise buildings, said Charles Parent, the current fire chief. Mr. McCrossen pushed for the measure after the 1972 fire in the Rault Center, a downtown building where he saw several people leap to their deaths from the 15th floor. In his long career of battling blazes large and small, Mr. McCrossen also dodged bullets as sniper Mark Essex shot at firefighters and police from the top of a downtown Howard Johnson hotel in 1973, and he was there when firefighters worked to save the burning Cabildo in 1988. As a retiree, the former fire chief remained active as the historian of the New Orleans Fire Department Museum on Washington Avenue. The museum was Mr. McCrossen's dream, and he was its heart and soul. Former museum director Bob Whitman jokingly called Mr. McCrossen "our oldest living artifact." Most days, he would head for the museum from his Gentilly home and sit behind a big desk, where a portrait of his father, the firefighter he idolized, smiled down on him from the wall. His uncles were firefighters, too, and he loved to talk to visiting youngsters about the adventures of being a fireman. "He was an icon, a dyed-in-the-wool firefighter," said Nick Felton, president of New Orleans Firefighters Association Local No. 632. Mr. McCrossen remained a true firefighter, even as fire chief, Felton said. "Any general-alarm fire, he was there." New Orleans Coroner Frank Minyard said Mr. McCrossen "was fire chief when I got elected, and he took me under his wing for a time. He was a product of the Irish Channel, and we met at the various watering holes. I really enjoyed his company." When Mr. McCrossen was growing up in the Irish Channel, the blue uniform of a firefighter was as common as Victorian shotgun houses. "I loved to pass fire stations whenever I had a chance," Mr. McCrossen said in a 1992 interview. "I always visualized, 'I'm going to end up at one of those fire stations.' " But becoming a firefighter proved trying. Mr. McCrossen was 3 years old when his father died, and he dropped out of school in the eighth grade to help his mother support the family. He worked as an errand boy for a wholesale drug company and later as a warehouse laborer. Even rookie jobs with the Fire Department went to those with political connections. But with help from lawyer and political ward boss Robert Skinner, Mr. McCrossen joined the Fire Department at age 28 and set out to succeed. He passed a high school equivalency test, earned a fire technology degree from Delgado Junior College and worked his way up in the department, starting with a promotion to truck operator in 1951 and ending with his appointment as superintendent by Mayor Moon Landrieu in 1973. Maria-Kay Chetta, 48, a grants manager in the Mayor's Office of Homeland Security and the Office of Criminal Justice Coordination, recalled childhood days when her father, Nick Chetta, a police detective, would bring her to a Gentilly firehouse to visit Mr. McCrossen, then a captain. The two men were members of the Police and Firemen's Holy Name Society, she said. Her father and Mr. McCrossen "would talk for hours," she said. Her patience was rewarded with a snowball. Mr. McCrossen was "a pillar of the community," Chetta said. "He was a tall, towering, proud man," but also humble, she said. He lived in his Gentilly home on Music Street until his death. "He never bought up," she said. Mr. McCrossen was devoted to his wife, Blanche, who died in 2002, Chetta said. The year after her death was the only time that Mr. McCrossen didn't send personalized Christmas cards to friends, she said. Mr. McCrossen was a plain-talking man, Minyard said. "His advice to me was not to take yourself too seriously, do your best and always tell the truth." . McCrossen loved all aspects of his Irish heritage, said friend and Municipal Court Judge John Shea. "Whether it was a parade or a party, he was there. He was New Orleans from the tip of his toes to the top of his head." Mr. McCrossen "was not just a cousin but a great friend," former Lt. Gov. Jimmy Fitzmorris said. "He loved life, and his excitement for the Fire Department never diminished. That flame kept going." In honor of his devotion to the department, American flags at firehouses will fly at half staff. Survivors include a son, William McCrossen Jr. William McCrossen:Retired from N.O. Fire Department in 1993 at age 79 Francis X. Pendl -- April 8, 2004 Frank and his wife Mary Jane have been attending the Fire Museum Seminar for over 10 years! They have been a fixture, usually sitting in the back of the room, always ready to offer a frendly smile or an encouraging word. They, like many, first came to the Fire Museum Seminar with a dream -- a dream of establishing a first-class fire museum in their local community. Unlike many, Frank and Mary Jane kept comming back. While the harsh realities of such an undertaking seem to thart others, Frank always exhibited a steady confidence, a long-term vision and quiet enthusiasm that has (and continues) to make his dream a reality. Although the Nassau County Firefighters Museum still has a long way to go -- it is still but a shell of a former airplane hanger building -- Frank's passion and determination will live on in the hearts and mind of many. He and his wife set the pace, and they might serve as an example to us all. An example to never loose sight of your dreams. - David - David Lewis, the Fire Museum Network's Web Guy DLewisARFM@aol.com Obituary from the Hicksville Illustrated News -- April 9, 2004 Francis X. Pendl, an ex-Chief of the Bethpage Fire Department, lost his battle with cancer on Thursday, April 1. He was 75 years old. Mr. Pendl was an extraordinary human being who was a devoted husband, father to his 12 children and grandfather of 22. One is tempted to say, "Wow, 12 kids, 22 grandchildren - his plate is full, he doesn't have much time for anything else." Not so. Mr. Pendl was a 50-year active member of the Bethpage Fire Department, serving as chief of department. He also served as assistant chief fire instructor at the Nassau County Fire Service Academy in Old Bethpage. He taught so many firefighters in Nassau that it's impossible to count. Mr. Pendl was a master at strategy and tactics on the fire ground. He had a way of bringing out the best in people. There are not enough words to describe his value to the firefighters of Nassau County. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Pendl was employed by the Nassau County Fire Commission as a fire marshal and even served as an investigator. Through this position, he was responsible for developing and teaching arson recognition for the county's firefighters. Mr. Pendl was a member of American Legion Post 86, NYS Fraternal Order of Police, International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Arson Investigators, International Association of Firefighters, the Firefighters Association of NY, the Fire Museum Network, Long Island Antique Fire Apparatus Association. Mr. Pendl was also a member of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the Civil War Preservation Trust, the Mount Rushmore Foundation and the Ellis Island Foundation. On a local front, he was a member of the Bethpage Historical Society. Several years ago, Mr. Pendl was seriously burned while teaching at the fire academy and spent a week in the Burn Unit at Nassau County Medical Center. After his release, he wanted to so something to honor the medical staff who treated him. In addition to becoming a delegate for the burn unit, Mr. Pendl organized the first-ever benefit fund for the burn center and held a police/fire hockey game to raise money for the unit. Benefits are now held annually. For so many years, Mr. Pendl worked on setting up a firefighter's museum. He felt something had to be done to preserve the history of the volunteer fire services in Nassau County. He wanted to be sure that the efforts of Nassau's volunteers were appreciated and never forgotten. As a result of Mr. Pendl's dedication and determination to the cause, the idea for the Francis X. Pendl Nassau County Museum of Fire Fighting and Education Center was formed and will open by early 2005. The shame of its all is that he won't be there to see it. Mr. Pendl would always strive to put someone at ease. You could confide in him. When asked, he would give advice. He was a mentor to many, always reminding people, including myself, to smile. If he saw me as I bid him farewell he would have admonished me for not smiling. That will come in time, but for now, I mourn his passing as do many others. Another day when I think of him and all he taught us, his mission to never let his beloved firefighters be forgotten and his infectious smile, I will smile and I hope he sees it. Rest in peace, Francis. Thanks for everything. Mr. Pendl is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary Jane; and his children: Thomas; Douglas and his wife, Jean; Clifford and his wife, Carol; Richard; Patricia; Mary Jane and her husband, Bob; Priscilla and her husband, Ken; Pamela and her husband, Gary; Stephen and his wife, Mary; Alison and her husband, Jeff; and Kurt and his wife, Amy. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Jane Thompson and sister-in-law Nancy Thompson; brother, A. "Tommy" and his wife, Kay, of Venice, FL; sister-in-law Helen Pendl, wife of his late brother, Joseph; and his 22 grandchildren, Jessica and Tim, Danielle, Jonathon, Danny, Ashley, Ryan, Shane, Nicole, Trisha, Krystina, Taylor, Emma, Bethany, Leah, Christopher, Robert, Tyler, Nicolas, Paige, Jake, Olivia and Hailey. Department and county services were held at the Arthur F. White Funeral Home in Bethpage and a funeral Mass was at St. Martin of Tours RC Church followed by interment at Pinelawn Memorial Park. Donations in Mr. Pendl's memory can be sent to the Francis X. Pendl Educational Memorial Fund, PO Box 63, Bethpage, NY 11714. Chris Clune -- October 22, 2001 I first meet Chris when the Fire Museum Seminar was in Dallas three or four years ago. We introduced ourselves over dinner, and I was immediately struck by the commonalties of fire museum folks. Chris was an avid collector, who had converted the garage of his home into a fire museum. Soon after meeting, we were chatting about accession (numbering) procedures and methods of computerized cataloging, proper display techniques, and a host of other things that many traditional "fire collectors" don't consider -- but then that is why I think of Chris not as a collector, but as "one of us fire museum folks." As the opening paragraph of our web page says, Fire museums come in all shapes and sizes, "ranging from the spare room in a firehouse basement to magnificent, first-class institutions which inform, educate, and inspire us all.". That is how I will remember Chris and his museum, not as a fire collector with a converted garage, but as an inspiration. An inspiration and a reminder that no matter who we are, or how large or small or collections our may be, we all have common goals, and we all must strive to be better "MUSEUMS". - David - David Lewis, the Fire Museum Network's Web Guy DLewisARFM@aol.com Mr. Christopher G. Clune, age 50 of Roswell, GA, died October 22, 2001. Mr. Clune was employed for 18 years by the Federal Railroad Administration and was currently Deputy Regional Administrator for the Federal Railroad Administration, U. S. Department of Transportation. He served as a volunteer with the Mountain Park Volunteer Fire Department. Mr. Clune had previously worked for Conrail and Erie Lackawanna Railroads. He was heavily involved in numerous fire organizations over the years including the Atlanta Fire Department and was past Foreman of the Metropolitan Fire Association. Mr. Clune is survived by his wife, Lynn Clune and his daughter, Bridgette Clune of Roswell. The family will receive friends Saturday and Sunday evenings from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Patterson's Canton Hill Funeral Home in Marietta. H. M. Patterson & Son Funeral Home 1157 Canton Road NE, Marietta Georgia 770-977-9485 (located at Hwy 120 and Old Canton Road) Please note: Metropolitan Fire Association members will be going as a group on Sunday - meeting at 5PM at the funeral home. You are invited to join us at this time. A funeral mass will be celebrated Monday, October 29 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church. Father Edward J. Thein and Msgr Paul Fogarty will concelebrate the mass. Interment will follow at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs GA . Fred Conway -- September 13, 2000 It with great sadness that I write this. . . . The Fire Museum Network's web page has a new purple background as a symbol of mourning. Fred Conway, retired fire chief, inventor, businessman, author, publisher, fire service historian, member of the Fire Museum Network executive committee, and a great friend, died Monday afternoon, September 13, at the age of seventy. I am sure we all have heard about how Fred "invented" the little fluorescent emergency number phone stickers when he saw a neighboring department's engines respond past his business because a resident had called the wrong fire department phone number. His label printing business, now called Discount Labels, was born. Fred loved the history of the fire service. He loved researching, and writing. We first met while he was compiling information for his "Discovering America's Fire Museum" book. I sent him some of my personal files I had on some fire museums, and gave him a bit of encouragement. Such began our friendship... Fred will always be remembered by me as a "doer"... I remember sitting around talking with Fred, Ken Soderbeck and Andy Swift, after a Fire Museum Seminar and Fred wondered aloud... How many steamers do you think there still are in existence? We all started ticking them off on our fingers and I commented, "someone should compile a list of them sometime..." Fred researched and published his book "Those Magnificent Steam Fire Engines" and it's copious roster of steamers the very next year! Fred loved the fire service, and generously supported the fire museum community... When I organized the Fire Museum Network trip to Interschutz in 1994, Fred donated a case of fire museum directories to the cause (the proceeds of which paid for a substantial part of our trip!). Whenever the Fire Museum Network came to town Fred was there, inviting us to visit, and to meet in his company's conference room. He was also generously in his financial support, always ready to sponsor a dinner, or a bus trip during the annual fire museum seminars. Fred was a friend.... I will miss him. I'll miss seeing him at the Allentown's "Spring Thaw" fire flea market where he was always on the lookout for another accessory to add to his museum. I'll miss him calling me up asking a research question. I'll miss calling him up asking research question. I'll miss his writing, who among us will ever be able to fill his prolific shoes as a fire service author/publisher? I will miss Fred - but I know his spirit lives on.... in heaven, and in his Vintage Fire Museum which he recently opened in New Albany Indiana. It is bittersweet to think of a man dying upon the completion of his dream... And perhaps in Fred's case that is not true - anyone having anything to do with a fire museum knows "the dream" is NEVER done! ...We can help keep "doing" his dream and cherish his memory by sending a donation to the Vintage Fire Museum - (I am - are you?? scroll down for more information) David Buskey -- ...NEED TO PULL FILE ...

If you have any questions, comments, or need more information about our organization, contact, David Lewis, webguy for the Fire Museum Network e-mail: dlewisarfm@aol.com