Fallen Alton firefighter is laid to rest

By RYAN CHRISTNER

Son of Rex Christner

ALTON -- Saturday's funeral services for Osborne County firefighter Lyle Lewis, who died Tuesday after responding to a fire at a rural home southwest of Alton, provoked appropriate emotions of grief and mourning, but also of honor as the 50-year-old father of five was laid to rest.

A man who those close to him say loved his job, Lewis was given a fitting ceremony as his body was transported to Kill Creek Cemetery by a pumper truck.

The procession was joined by the American Legion Riders and Patriot Guard.

"There's just a brotherhood that goes along with this type of work," said Kip Hiebert, a Sedgwick County firefighter from Alta Vista who built Lewis' casket. "You can't hardly do that without developing a love and respect for the guys that do that."

Lewis was remembered as a "happy guy," a hard worker and a generous man by his pastor, the Rev. Homer Smuck.

"You didn't hardly ever see him down about anything," said Smuck, pastor of the Mount Ayr Friends Church in rural Alton. "It's such a shock. He was young."

News of the death was met by sympathetic sentiments by firefighters all across the country, who posted on news and fire service Web sites their condolences to the Lewis family and their appreciation to the man who lost his life while in the line of duty.

After responding to the fire, Lewis seemed to succumb to the heat, telling others he needed to "cool off," Kansas State Association of Firefighters Secretary Steve Hirsch said last week in a press release.

Outside temperatures that day were in excess of 90 degrees and humidity was high.

Lewis was treated by Emergency Medical Services personnel on-scene and later transported to Osborne County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Lewis' is the third casket made by Hiebert since he began in 2007. The first was made for one of his former crewmembers and another was purchased by the family of a firefighter from Hays.

Hiebert calls his business Caskets of Honor and said the idea materialized after he realized the scarcity of burial materials that specifically catered to those in the fire service profession.

The attempt is to be as personal as possible in the construction process so that "by looking at the casket you can see just who the person was," he said.

To do so, Hiebert incorporates the deceased's rank insignia into the decoration and uses axes as casket handles.

"Not only are they indicative of the fire department, but they're also a bit of a lasting memorial," he said of the axes, which can be removed and given to family.

For Lewis, who also served as the chaplain for Osborne County Rural Fire Department No. 3 in Alton, Hiebert attached crosses made from brass fire-hose cup links as well as Maltese crosses on the side and ends.

"It's about honoring them," Hiebert said.

Lewis' death marks the second time this year a Kansas firefighter has fallen while in the line of duty.

Despite the very dangerous nature of their work, Hirsch said one death will always be seen as too many. "We see this way more than we would certainly like to."

* The Salina Journal contributed to this story.