Lima volunteer was honorary firefighter

9/30/2006

LIMA, Ohio - Harold "Babe" Foltz, 80, who volunteered to clean, wash trucks, and run errands for more than 70 years at the Lima Fire Department, of which he was an honorary member, died Sunday in the Beverly Health Care Center.

Family members did not know the cause of death.

Mr. Foltz began volunteering at the fire department when he was 9, his nephew, Mark Kirkpatrick, said.

"He enjoyed the excitement of being around firefighters," his nephew said. "They were a good bunch of guys whom he enjoyed working with. That is why he kept going back every day."

He was the recipient of a number of awards from the fire department for his many years of volunteer work. Named the department's Honorary Firefighter of the Year in 1986, Mr. Foltz also was awarded a certificate of appreciation in 2003 for his "70 years of faithful friendship and dedicated service."

Born in Lima, Mr. Foltz spent all his life here, family members said. He attended Lima Senior High School, where he played basketball and developed his love for cycling.

Mr. Foltz retired in 1992 after 12 years of working in the laundry department of the Lima Health System.

A 1984 recipient of the Citizen Americanism Award from the American Legion Post of Lima, he was well-known around town for his work in helping to prepare the city's annual parades, his nephew said.

"He would often ride with the firefighters during city parades," his nephew recalled.

Mr. Foltz was a longtime volunteer at Lima Senior High School, where he helped with basketball and baseball games.

Surviving are his sister, June Glasgo, and brothers, Walter and Dale.

Services will be at 10 a.m. today in the Siferd Funeral Home, Westwood Chapel. The family suggests tributes to the Lima Firefighters Memorial Museum.