Houston's Line of Duty Firefighters
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John Sellis Little Sr.

Born: November 19, 1883, in Knoxville, Tennessee

Died: July 11, 1929, at age 45

20th HFD Line of Duty
Entered the HFD: June 4, 1913

Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 18

Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section 27, Plot 59, Space 12

Captain Little, with sixteen years in the department, died along with Harry Oxford and Edgar Grant when Engine 18 was dispatched to a house fire located at 2426 Wilshire Street at Telephone Road. The incident was just before midnight; the firefighters were distracted by a large glow in the sky from the house fire. As they approached the unmarked railroad crossing at Telephone Road and Lombardy Street, they did not see the south bound, No. 63 Gulf Coast Line Railway Train pulling fifty-four cars entering the crossing at the same time. Engine 18 was broadsided; two members of the crew were injured in the accident.

Captain Little was transported to Memorial Baptist Hospital. After undergoing several surgeries in an effort to save his life, John died nine days later.

Prior to his assignment at Fire House No. 18, his rank was that of Battalion Chief. He, however, voted for the Mayor of Houston’s rival and was punished by Fire Chief Fred Seibert. John was demoted to the rank of Captain, with that came lower pay and a new assignment, Fire House No. 18.

The Little family were scheduled to leave for a family vacation the next day when he got off work.

Ruben Lopez

Born: October 12, 1957, in Victoria, Texas

Died: December 4, 1996, at age 39

1st Houston Volunteer Fire Department Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: 1987

Assignment: HVFD District Chief-Engine 25

Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section 12, Lot 385, Space 11

Ruben Lopez, a member of the Houston Volunteer Fire Department, died fighting a house fire at 4006 Roseneath Drive near South MacGregor Way. Upon arrival, Chief Lopez and the crew of Engine 25 were informed that there were still victims in the home. A flashover occurred during the search. Chief Lopez perished along with the 41 year old female occupant of the home. She re-entered the home thinking her 12 year old daughter was still inside.

In 2023 Ruben’s son, Joey, became a proud member of the Houston Fire Department.

Prior to his death he had received the organization’s Firefighter of the Year twice.

Chief Lopez is the only line of duty death in the history of the Houston Volunteer Fire Department.

James Edward “Jimmy” Lowth

Born: June 26, 1923, in Houston, Texas

Died: March 31, 1947, at age 22

28th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: January 1946

Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 26

Buried: Hollywood Cemetery, Section F, Plot 19, Space 2

James Lowth was seriously injured when Engine 26 was struck by a steam powered Port Terminal Railroad Association Train after being dispatched to a fire at the Eastern States Refinery. There were two things that contributed to the cause of the accident; the warning signal at the railroad crossing was not working and the PTRA Engineer, Oliver Florrow, was seated on the opposite side of the locomotive, and was unable to see Engine 26 attempting to cross the tracks. The accident occurred at 1000 Broadway Street and Bowie Street.

Four of Lowth’s crew members, Captain Mike Lathrop, J. B. Martin, Earl McWilliams, and Wilson Snow, all seriously injured, were transported to
St. Joseph Hospital. Jimmy was also transported to St. Joseph Hospital where he died from his injuries.

Jimmy survived World War II and returned home after serving in the United States Naval Reserves as a Radio Technician Second Class from May 29, 1942 to November 24, 1945. He died his first night back on duty since his wedding and honeymoon in Galveston, two weeks prior. He was survived by his wife of fifteen days, Peggy Leu.

Leroy Pena Lucio

Born: June 5, 1958, in San Antonio, Texas

Died: July 20, 2020 at age 62
73rd HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: December 10, 1990, Fast Track Class
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 103 “D” Shift
Buried: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cemetery, 1255 Old Corpus Christi Road,
Far Left side of the cemetery

Captain Leroy Lucio, a member of the Houston Fire Department for twenty-nine-years, lost his life due to the COVID-19 Virus. He had been battling the virus in the ICU at Life Care Hospitals of San Antonio three weeks prior to his death. He is the first Houston Firefighter to die from COVID-19.

Captain Lucio is the sixtieth COVID-19 related Firefighter Line of Duty Death for 2020, according to the statistics kept by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. On the day he died there were 49,123 new cases of COVID-19 according to the worldometers.info/coronavirus web site.

Leroy’s passion of becoming a paramedic was fulfilled when he was hired by fire departments in Kirby and University City to be a frontline paramedic.

He is survived by the love of his life, wife Lala, sons Michael Lucio, Andy Lares, and daughter Elaine Hernandez.

Jackie Dunham Ludwick

Born: August 17, 1933, in Austin, Texas

Died: February 4, 1977, at age 43

50th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: July 16, 1956
Assignment: Senior Captain-Fire House No. 7 “B” Shift

Buried: Woodlawn Cemetery, Section 8, Plot 154, Space 3A

Captain Ludwick was a well respected officer in the department. Months before his death he saved the lives of several firefighters at St. Joseph Hospital. Working to extinguish a deep seated fire in the laundry duct system, Captain Ludwick knew something was wrong and began ordering firefighters out of the vent system when a flashover occurred. Several firefighters were injured, but his actions saved their lives.

Jackie Ludwick, a twenty one year veteran, suffered a fatal heart attack while fighting a fire at 3700 Wheeler Avenue near Scott Street. He was transported to Hermann Hospital where efforts to save him failed.

He is survived by his loving wife LaVerne and his three sons, Tracy, Kelly and Jody.

Steven Clyde "Steve" Mayfield

Born: October 5, 1951, in Pasadena, Texas

Died: December 2, 1998, at age 47
54th HFD Line of Duty Death

Entered the HFD: March 31, 1975, Class 75A

Assignment: Firefighter-Crash Rescue Station No. 92 “B” Shift

Buried: Resthaven Cemetery, Section 7, Lot 587, Space 12

Steven Mayfield, a twenty-three-year veteran, died from a heart attack while participating in a live burn at the DFW Airport in Dallas, Texas. The burn was a part of the annual recertification process required of all Airport Rescue Firefighters (ARFF).

Mayfield, a certified Aircraft and Rescue Fire Fighter (ARFF) for eight-years, had previously spent twelve-years as a Paramedic. He was assigned as a paramedic on Medic 92, which makes calls at the terminals at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Steve was survived by his wife of twenty-six-years, Jo, and their daughter Stacy.

Lewis Evan Mayo III

Born: December 13, 1955, in Cocoa, Florida

Died: February 14, 2000-Valentine’s Day, at age 44
56th HFD Line of Duty Death

Entered the HFD: June 29, 1981, Class 81C

Assignment: Firefighter-Fire House No. 76 “A” Shift

Buried: Memorial Oaks Cemetery, Section 219, Lot 8, Space 2

At 0433 hours Engine 76 responded to a fire in a McDonald’s Restaurant, located at 12602 Bissonnet Street and Dairy View Lane, less than a mile from their quarters. Upon arrival, Engine 76 reported that fire was coming from the roof of the restaurant. The crew of Engine 76 entered the building and attempted to get the hose line to the back of the restaurant. The section of the roof that contained the air conditioning units collapsed, trapping and injuring Lewis. Smith, also trapped, was able to free herself and head toward the back door of the building. Lewis was rescued and transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital where efforts to save him failed. Kim was found deceased eight feet from the back door.

The fire was ruled as arson, started by four males attempting to break into the office safe. When they were unable to open the safe, they set the office on fire. All four men were convicted of multiple crimes with sentences ranging from two to thirty-five years in prison.

Willis Neal “Bardoil” McWhorter

Born: April 17, 1927, in Madisonville, Texas

Died: November 6, 1959, at age 32

41st HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: June 1, 1953

Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 30

Buried: Resthaven Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Plot 72, Space 1

Willis McWhorter died in an accident that claimed the life of his fellow crew member, Charles Jedlicka and seriously injured the captain and his chauffeur. Engine 30 was responding to a house fire located at 7320 Airline Drive and Benbrook Street. The accident occurred at the intersection of Fulton Street and Berry Street. An approaching transport truck, carrying steel beams, saw Engine 30, but was unable to stop in time due to it’s heavy load. The fire apparatus was broadsided, breaking it into several pieces. McWhorter died at the scene.

He was survived by his wife of ten years; Betty Jean, they had a daughter and a son.

Frank William Medlenka

Born: June 15, 1859, in Louisville, Kentucky
Died: November 23, 1901, at age 42
2nd HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: September 21, 1895
Assignment: Driver-Washington No. 8
Buried: Glanwood Cemetery, Old Strangers Rest, Space 320

Frank, the driver of horse-drawn Steamer 8, was responding to call received from Fire Alarm Box 315 at the corner of McKinney Street and Chartres Street. The steamer crossed street car tracks at the intersection of McKinney Street and Jackson Street where new tracks were under construction. Hose Wagon 8, leading the way, displaced planks covering the site causing Steamer 8 to overturn. Frank was crushed under the overturned steamer and was taken to St. Joseph’s Infirmary where he died later that night.

Frank Medlenka entered the Houston Fire Department at age thirty-six. His father owned one of the first local newspapers, the “Houston Hearld,” which later became the “Houston Chronicle,” where Frank worked as a pressman. He developed an allergy to the ink; his condition was called “The Printer’s Disease.” His doctor advised him, for his health, to change professions, which he did.

Frank was a member of the Houston Volunteer Protection Hose Company No. 1 from 1883 to 1887 as the First Assistant Foreman. In September 1895, he became one of Houston’s first paid firefighters.

Charley Albert Middlekauf

Born: February 7, 1888, in Canton, Illinois

Died: March 10, 1953, at age 65

34th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered theHFD: January 1, 1910

Assignment: Assistant Chief-Central Fire Station

Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section 24, Plot 124, Space 12S

Chief Middlekauf, a member of the Houston Fire Department for
forty-three years, died of a heart attack on the scene of a fire at the Frederick Poultry and Egg Company, located at 1817 Center Street and Silver Street. One of his duties as Assistant Chief was directing firefighting efforts at multiple alarm fires. He had been commanding firefighters for some time when he fell to his knees and asked to be taken across the street to a neighbor’s porch where he collapsed. Ambulance crews were unable to save him, and a physician on the scene pronounced him deceased.

When Charley entered the Houston Fire Department in 1910, the department was equipped with only horse-drawn fire apparatus.

He was survived by his loving wife, Mildred, of eighteen years. Mildred sadly, died six months after Charley’s death.

Robert Weir “Bobby” Milburn

Born: March 31, 1911, in Palestine, Texas

Died: April 14, 1949, at age 38

31st HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: September 4, 1933

Assignment: Driver-Fire House No. 7

Buried: South Park Cemetery, Section J, Plot 227, Space 5

Bobby Milburn, the driver of Battalion Chief 7, collided with a pickup truck at the intersection of Fannin Street and McGowen Street. Fire House No. 7 received a signal from Fire Alarm Box 3423 located at McGowen Street and Sauer Street. The truck broadsided the Chief’s car with such force; it pushed it far into the side street. Although Engine 7 and Ladder 7 were following the chief’s car through the intersection, they did not see the accident.
Chief H. H. “Bubba” Finn and the driver of the pickup were seriously injured. Bobby was transported to Jefferson Davis Hospital where he was pronounced deceased on arrival.

The crew of Fire House No. 7 was in the process of petitioning the city to have Fire Alarm Box 3423 removed due the high number of false alarms it received, tragically Bobby died responding to yet another false alarm.

Bobby was survived by his loving wife, Willa. They were married January 19, 1935. Also survived by his son, Ronald Gene, who was eight at the time of his father’s untimely passing.

Barnett Cohen “Barney” Moffatt

Born: October 10, 1858, in Houston, Texas

Died: April 26, 1908, at age 49
4th HFD Line of Duty Death

Entered the HFD: September 21, 1895

Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Engine Company No. 7

Buried: Glenwood Cemetery, Section D, Plot 94, Space 1

Barney Moffatt died while fighting a fire at the Mercantile Grain Company, located at 1215 Hardy Street and Lyons Avenue. He was doing clean up with his Lieutenant, Lawrence Lazzio. They were working on the ground floor of the building, assigned to check for hot spots. The floor was overloaded and stacked to the ceiling with sacks of feed, which caused the floor to weaken and collapse into the cellar. Barney fell with the floor and perished; Lawrence was able to survive by grabbing one of the pipes in the ceiling.

Just prior to Barney’s death he had been off over a year after being injured in an accident while driving Hose Wagon 5. After recovering from his injuries, he was assigned to Fire House No. 7.

Moffatt worked as a volunteer with Stonewall Hose Company No. 3 for nine years from 1886 to 1895. He was one of the first firefighters hired when the City of Houston went from a volunteer department to a paid department in September of 1895.

Born: September 15, 1906 in Texarkana, Texas

Died: December 20, 1929, at age 23

21st HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: July 12, 1929

Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 19

Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section I, Plot 248, Space 4627

Aaron O’Brien, five months into his career, died along with Michael Ward when Engine 19 was dispatched to a house fire located at Quitman Street and Clark Street. When crossing the double railroad tracks at Gregg Street, a short distance from Fire House No. 19, they were hit by a Southern Pacific Railroad Train. Buildings at the crossing obstructed the view of the oncoming train and neither the red lights nor the arms at the crossing were

working. Aaron was riding on the side of the apparatus working the siren when he was thrown off and died instantly. Four members of the crew sustained relatively minor injuries.

Aaron was married at the time of his death. He and his wife, Melba, were expecting their first child. Patsy Margo O’Brien was born on February 4, 1930, a month after her father died.

Patrick O’Hara

Born: March 17, 1878, in Ireland

Died: September 21, 1913, at age 35
8th HFD Line of Duty Death

Entered the HFD: 1906

Assignment: Lieutenant-Fire House No. 6

Buried: Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio, Section 9, Lot 1207, Grave 2

Patrick O’Hara died responding to a signal transmitted from Fire Alarm Box 412, located in the Fourth Ward at San Felipe Street and Hobson Street, where a small shack was burning. Engine 6 hit a hole in the street where the bricks were missing. O’Hara was thrown from the side of the engine and fell against a telegraph pole where he died instantly. The accident occurred at Sabine Street and Lubbock Street 7:30 a.m.

His body was put on a train by Westheimer Undertaking Company and sent to Cleveland, Ohio where his two sisters and brother lived.

Patrick, at age twenty-three immigrated to the United States via Ellis Island. He married his sweetheart, Sarah Haggerty on September 16, 1902. He petitioned to become a citizen of the United States in 1905 and moved to Houston, Texas to become a member of the Houston Fire Department in 1906.

Thomas Andrew “Tom” O’Leary

Born: November 1860, in Newport, Wells, United Kingdom

Died: December 24, 1908-Christmas Eve, at age 48
5th HFD Line of Duty Death

Entered the HFD: September 21, 1895

Assignment: Fire Chief-Central Fire Station

Buried: Glenwood Cemetery, Section West Avenue, Lot 343, Space 1

Fire Chief Thomas O’Leary lost his life while he and his crew were trying to extinguish a fire in a railroad boxcar loaded with fireworks. The fire took place the afternoon of November 22, 1908, in the Houston Belt Terminal Railroad switching yard located east of downtown. The fire started when a switch engine kicked a boxcar into a boxcar loaded with the fireworks. The collision of the two boxcars caused an explosion and the ensuing fire. Chief O’Leary was directing his men with little or no concern about the exploded boxcar because the explosion blew the roof off the car, thus minimizing its danger. The main concern was the possibility of the fire reaching the other railcars; however, unknown to the firefighters, large shells for aerial fireworks were on board the boxcar. Those who investigated the accident believed that one or more shells exploded in the end of the car where Chief O’Leary stood. The Chief took the full brunt of the blast. Five firefighters were injured and taken to St. Joseph’s Infirmary, along with Chief O’Leary. Tom fought courageously for his life until December 24, 1908, when he lost his final battle.

Tom was the foreman of the Houston Volunteer Stonewall Hose Company, No. 3 from 1889 to 1895. In September of 1895 he was hired as one of the first paid Houston firefighters.

Chief O’Leary became a naturalized citizen in 1878 at age eighteen. He was survived by his wife, Amelia, and his daughter Irene who was fourteen at the time of her father’s untimely death.

Harry Lloyd “Red” Oxford

Born: July 3, 1895, in Dallas, Texas

Died: July 3, 1929, at age 34

19th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: November 16, 1928

Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 18

Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section I, Plot 143, Section 2

Harry Oxford had been in the department almost eight months when he died along with Captain Little and Edgar Grant when Engine 18 was dispatched to a house fire located at 2426 Wilshire Street and Telephone Road. The incident was just before midnight and the firefighters were distracted by a large glow in the sky from the house fire. As they approached the unmarked railroad crossing at Telephone Road and Lombardy Street, they did not see a south bound, No. 63 Gulf Coast Line Railway Train pulling fifty-four cars entering the crossing at the same time. Engine 18 was broadsided; Harry was transported to Memorial Babtist Hospital where he died the next day at 9:10 a.m., his thirty-fourth birthday. Two members of the crew were injured in the accident.

Gerardo Isaias "Jerry" Pacheco

Born: January 4, 1970, in Monterrey, Mexico

Died: August 3, 2020 at age 50
74th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: January 5, 2004, Class 26 2004
Assignment: Firefighter-Fire House No. 101 “C” Shift
Buried: Kline Memorial Park, Tomball, Texas, Section C, Lot 46, Space 2

Jerry Pacheco, a proud member of the Houston Fire Department for seventeen years, lost his life due to the COVID-19 Virus. He had been battling the virus in the ICU at the CHI St. Luke’s Health Hospital in the Woodlands. He is the second Houston Firefighter to die from COVID-19.

After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Navy. He went up the ranks to Petty Officer, First Class. During his time in the Navy, he was deployed to Operation Desert Storm in the Gulf War in 1991.

He had two sons, Justin, who is a member of the Houston Fire Department, and Jesse.

Tanner Graham Reed

Born: October 28, 1981, in Stephenville, Texas

Died: September 3, 2021 at age 39
77th HFD Line of Duty Death

Entered the HFD: December 1, 2003, Class 25

Assignment: Engineer/Operator-Fire House No. 10 “B” Shift

Buried: Glenn Cemetery, Tolar, Texas, Tanner's plot is in the back left corner of the
cemetery, under a very large oak tree, next to his Dad, Charles Reed.

Tanner Reed, a proud member of the Houston Fire Department for seventeen years, lost his life to the COVID-19 Virus. He is the fourth Houston Fire Department COVID-19 Line of Duty Death Tanner was the eighth in the United States and Canada, according to the IAFF, to succumb to the COVID-19 Virus in 2021. The total firefighter deaths to date one hundred and fifty-five Covid-19 related deaths as recognized the National Firefighter Memorial.

Tanner and his family received an incredible amount of unwavering support from the nurses and staff at the HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress Hospital as well as his colleagues from the Houston Fire Department, who continue to be there for his family.

Tanner was proud to call himself a Houston Firefighter and was considered one of the best Engineer Operators in his area. His skill and dedication to being the best at his job earned him the respect of all who worked with him and his actions on the fire ground helped save many lives and property over the years. Tanner passed on his knowledge, respect for the job, and the right way to do it both on the fire ground and at the fire house. He was a mentor to many and his teachings made those around him better every day. He served at Fire House No. 73 and Fire House No. 77, with his last assignment as an Engineer/Operator at Fire House No. 10.

Lexi Kathleen Reed; Tanner’s daughter was everything to him. She has his energy for life and just enough of his orneriness to run the world one day! While Tanner loved the hustle of all the calls and the adrenaline each one brought from the Houston Firefighter life, he missed the space and quietness of the pastures back home in Bluff Dale, Texas and often took Lexi there to ensure she knew the value of country life. He taught her to fish, hunt, and run the fields just as he did as a child. He taught her life lessons that she will carry with her always. Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day; unseen, unheard but always near, still loved, still missed, and very dear. Tanner will never leave her side.

Tanner has a very special bond with his dad, Charles and his daughter, Lexi; all three generations were born on the same day, October 28.
Written by Hilary Stephans (Sister) and Firefighter John Rarden

Matthew Rena Renaud

Born: July 2, 1977, in Houston, Texas
Died: May 31, 2013, at age 35
67th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: October 30, 2001, Class 8 2001
Assignment: Captain-Fire House No. 51 “A” Shift
Buried: Forest Park Cemetery, Lawndale, Section 39, Lot BE (Bench Estate) 8, Space 1 Lower

Matt Renaud perished along with Bobby Bebee, Bobby Garner and Anne Sullivan while fighting a fire at the Southwest Inn, 6855 Southwest Freeway and Hornwood Drive. The fire started in the Bhojan Indian Restaurant, located in the front of the motel complex. Fifteen minutes after crews arrived, the roof collapsed, trapping five firefighters. Before the rescuers were able to reach the firefighters, a second ceiling collapsed, trapping all of the rescuers. The rescuers were able to escape the collapse along with Captain Dowling, one of the five trapped firefighters.

On April 27, 2013 Captain Renaud and two of his crew members, Firefighter Wally Hayes and Firefighter Joel Rincon received the Unit Meritorious Medal for rescuing an unconscious victim from a burning apartment in April 2012.

Soon after his death he was promoted posthumously to the rank of Senior Captain.

Matt was survived by his parents, Barbara and Xavier and his brother David, and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins!

Robert Munguia Reyes

Born: August 30, 1952, in Houston, Texas

Died: December 1, 1984, at age 32
53th HFD Line of Duty Death
Entered the HFD: January 26, 1981, Class 81A

Assignment: Pipe and Ladderman-Fire House No. 62 “A” Shift

Buried: Memorial Oaks Cemetery, Section 11, Plot 42, Space 3B

The day of his death, Robert Reyes was assigned to work his shift at Fire House No. 15. Engine 15 responded to a car fire on Interstate 45. Before the crew arrived at the scene, Robert fell to his death from the jump seat of Engine 15.

Reyes spent ten years working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation before joining the Houston Fire Department. His son, Robert, was six years old at the time of his father’s death. In 2007, Robert followed in his dad’s footsteps and joined the ranks of the Houston Fire Department.

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