COLUMBUS, Ohio – The man who led the Columbus Division of Fire for seven years in the 1980s and 90s has died, division officials announced Thursday morning.
Retired Columbus Fire Chief Donald Werner Jr., passed away Sunday.
Werner served as fire chief from 1984 to 1991.
Visitation will be held on Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Graumlich Funeral Home, 1351 S. High Street.
The funeral service will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 322 Stewart Avenue, at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday followed by an interment service at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.
Pastor Snowden Sims will officiate and there will be a one-hour visitation period prior to service.
A lifelong resident of Columbus’ South Side and known for his love of the department, officials say Werner knew every firefighter by name, as well as their wives and children.
Werner hailed from a firefighting family: His father, uncle, brother and son, Thomas, all served as members of the Columbus Division of Fire.
Werner was born and raised in the South Side of Columbus and lived in Fire Station 14’s district his entire life.
Even while serving as chief, Werner was known to spend occasional nights at a fire station to maintain a connection to on-duty firefighters.