Syracuse Retired Firefighters
In Memoriam

Please join us in paying tribute to the following retired Syracuse firefighters who have recently passed away. Links to their obituaries are provided below. We thank all for their service and lives led. Please keep the families and friends of these firefighters in your thoughts.

Joseph J. Millet – June 20, 2026
Robert M. Richards, Jr. – May 6, 2026
Ronald E. “Ron” Nortman – April 28, 2026
Frank J. Guido – January 29, 2026
John F. Rioux – January 18, 2026
Timothy J. Patrick – January 4, 2026
John F. Rioux – January 18, 2026
Timothy J. Patrick – January 4, 2026
John F. Rioux – January 18, 2026
Timothy J. Patrick – January 4, 2026
Charles E. Sanborn – November 2025
James Beaulieu – December 2025
Charles E. Sanborn – November 2025
Michael H. Church – November 22, 2025
Charles E. Sanborn – November 2025
Ralph DeJohn, Jr. – October 16, 2025
Joe Singleton – September 2025 (Largo, FL)
John Trovato, Sr. – September 14, 2025
William P. Carroll – May 20, 2025
Mark Grady – May 18, 2025
Ronald Lambrych – April 22, 2025
George W. “Bill” Lambert Jr. – February 20, 2025
Ronald Lambrych – April 22, 2025
George W. “Bill” Lambert Jr. – February 20, 2025
Charles A. Johnson – January 29, 2025
Richard Corp – January 29, 2025
Leonard W. Barnard – December 19, 2024
Charles E. Greene, Sr. – December 6, 2024
Dominick C. DiPaulo – October 23, 2024
(IAFF Tribute to Dominick DiPaulo)
Richard Azzoto – October 19, 2024
Henry C. Sienkiewicz – October 4, 2024
William C. Viel, Jr. – October 1, 2024
Gordon Maycumber – July 2, 2024
Frances Sehl – June 26, 2024
Robert Lee Hollis – June 3, 2024
Edward Lesnau – May 19, 2024
Edward Grosso – April 19, 2024
Timothy Dempsey – December 17, 2023
Thomas J. Galvin – December 15, 2023
Eugene Roberts – November 30, 2023
Peter Piraino – October 28, 2023
Carl Gale – October 17, 2023
Mike DeBottis – July 18, 2023
John Joseph Corrigan – June 15, 2023
Charles Antzak – March 21, 2023
Andrew Whipple – February 17, 2023
Joseph Volcko – February 13, 2023
Sal Capone – February 1, 2023
Gerald “Jerry” Santoferrara – January 19, 2023
Thomas J. Horward – January 8, 2023
John Barrett – January 2, 2023
James Merrick – December 20, 2022
Raymond Moriarty – December 19, 2022
Thomas E. Clarke – October 2, 2022
Mike Uva – August 22, 2022
Robert A. Sauro – July 25, 2022
William P. Quigley – June 1, 2022
Robert A. Coleman – April 11, 2022
Thomas W. Drane – March 31, 2022
Francis E. Wilcox – February 20, 2022
Howard J. Wilcox Jr. – February 18, 2022
Charles T. Petersen – February 1, 2022
Curtis Majo – January 13, 2022
Francis “Frank” John Zdep – November 30, 2021
John V. Whitney – November 26, 2021
Wayne E. Hess – October 17, 2021
Robert “Bob” George – October 7, 2021
Theodore Holz III – September 30, 2021
John W. Rose – August 9, 2021
John T. Sacco Sr. – July 21, 2021
John M. Kennedy Sr. – June 23, 2021
Thomas C. Hanlon – June 11, 2021
John “Jack” E. McMahon – April 7, 2021
John “Jack” Diamond – April 20, 2021
Anthony D. Voci – March 21, 2021
Robert J. Killenbec – February 23, 2021
Kenneth “Ken” R. Budd – February 22, 2021
Ronald J. Vaiu – February 9, 2021
James G. Lumb – February 7, 2021
Richard A. Barbato – January 3, 2021
Benjamin S. “Benny” Angona – December 25, 2020
Timothy Simmons – November 6, 2020
Robert J. Chace – September 8, 2020
David G. Johnson – September 3, 2020
Robert E. “Bob” Smith – September 2, 2020
James J. Small – July 1, 2020
John A. Russell Sr. – June 14, 2020
James L. Cummings – May 19, 2020
H. Thomas Laun – April 29, 2020
Raymond J. Ryan – April 25, 2020
Donald J. Grovine, Sr. – April 23, 2020
John Paul Rosmarino – April 7, 2020
David C. Sinclair – March 19, 2020
Paul Egan – February 26, 2020
Larry McCafferty Sr. – January 26, 2020
William B. Hickok – December 27, 2019
Christopher “Wayne” Rhodes – November 30, 2019
Peter F. Bazydlo – November 27, 2019
Donald J. Keegan – October 14, 2019
Richard J. “Dick” Davis – September 16, 2019
Donald J. “Mush” Moriarty – September 3, 2019
Frank J. Maimone – August 17, 2019
Terrance E. Simms – July 7, 2019
Gerald E. Grosso – June 16, 2019
James C. (JC) Park – May 18, 2019
Richard “Buttsy” J. Doner – May 1, 2019
Michael J. Baur – March 14, 2019
Donald E. Oswald – March 8, 2019
Joseph C. Redmond Jr. – February 21, 2019

Norbert S. Lukacs – February 16, 2019
Gerald R. Funderburg Sr. – February 15, 2019
Martin D. Reed – September 10, 2018
Thomas F. Driscoll Sr. – August 15, 2018
Donald M. McCabe – April 15, 2018
Jay A. Seitz – March 3, 2018
Robert W. Sullivan – February 24, 2018
Baxter W. Simmons – January 25, 2018
Edward F. Corsello – January 4, 2018
James ”Soupy” Campbell – December 28, 2017
William J. Mattes – December 17, 2017
Nicholas Sauro Jr. – September 25, 2017
Michael B. Gallagher – September 11, 2017
Robert J. “Red” Flynn – September 10, 2017
Frank D. DiRoma – September 8, 2017
Bernard F. McDermott Jr. – August 5, 2017
Thomas “Tom” Sullivan – July 7, 2017
Christopher C. Harrison – May 8, 2017
Anthony E. Scala – April 30, 2017
John P. O’Brien – April 28, 2017
John R. “Stick” Simms Sr. – April 16, 2017
Richard J. Barclay – April 13, 2017
Thomas C. “Tim” O’Brien – March 12, 2017
Richard C. “Dick” Schoeneck – March 10, 2017
Thomas F. Ennis Sr. – March 6, 2017
Robert J. Nelson – February 17, 2017
Ethan C. Cunningham – February 6, 2017
John W. “Jack” Moore – February 1, 2017

Richard Bognaski – January 30, 2017
Nicholas J. Fiumara – January 27, 2017
Joseph A. “Amie” Yemma – December 25, 2016
George A. Lutz Jr. – December 10, 2016
Baker C. Lewis – November 10, 2016
Edward J. Homer Jr. – November 10, 2016
William A. Bogardus – October 17, 2016
James E. Roach – September 29, 2016
Michael F. Downes – June 7, 2016
Bradley J. Beck – June 1, 2016
Joseph S. Pulaski – April 2, 2016
Valentino “Nick” DiNicola – February 22, 2016
Thomas Dunn Jr. – January 16, 2016
David J. Brzostek – January 15, 2016
Clifford H. Schaefer – December 22, 2015
Charles “Bud” Tomeny – December 9, 2015
John P. Cavanaugh – October 19, 2015
Martin P. “Marty” Piraino Sr. – October 11, 2015
Joseph R. Soboleski – September 27, 2015
John J. Vaccaro – August 20, 2015
Hugh J. “Duff” Duffy – June 12, 2015
Sean P. Hagadorn – May 29, 2015
Anthony “Nino” Prince – May 13, 2015
Arnold A. Bruns – April 16, 2015
Robert G. Farricy – February 23, 2015
Michael T. “Mickey” Taffe – February 10, 2015
Charles B. Richardson Jr. – February 3, 2015
Thomas M. Erwin – January 31. 2015

Alex J. Cimino Sr. – December 17, 2014
Leonard E. Kobuszewski Sr. – December 3, 2014
Anthony Crupi III – November 18, 2014
Raymond J. Garlock – October 29, 2014
Francis R. “Frank” Geremski – September 27, 2014
Edwin F. Apps Jr. – September 5, 2014
Albert E. “Al” Taylor – August 5, 2014
Joseph H. Clarke – July 16, 2014
John “Jack” Schmitz – July 4, 2014
Clifford C. Kopecky – June 2, 2014
Richard J. Anderson – May 21, 2014
John J. Harrington – May 3, 2014
Garry J. Grethel – February 16, 2014
Terry D. Strong – December 28, 2013
James C. Flint – December 17, 2013
Thomas P. Wilbur Sr. – September 19, 2013
George W. Karle Sr. – August 26, 2013
Edward W. Meckowski – July 26, 2013
John W. Smith – May 14, 2013
Dominick A. Verrillo – April 29, 2013
Joseph Kowalewski – April 4, 2013
John M. Marci – February 12, 2013
Wilbur L. Hess – February 12, 2013
John T. Walsh – February 9, 2013
Kevin M. Smith – January 27, 2013
Michael A. Dickinson – October 27, 2012
William “Bill” A. Scutt – September 14, 2012
Alton P. Clark – September 7, 2012

John Patrick Connelly – August 17, 2012
Joel P. Wood – June 29, 2012
Richard J. Nemier – June 25, 2012
George F. O’Brien – June 12, 2012
James “Pooch” Conroy – May 31, 2012
John M. Liberatore – May 26, 2012
Alfred James Danzy Sr. – April 22, 2012
Joseph L. Carni – March 27, 2012
Raymond C. Willis Sr. – March 25, 2012
Albert E. Paige – March 19, 2012
James E. Vossler – February 23, 2012
Michael F. Macko Jr. – February 4, 2012
Anthony D. Ahern – January 4, 2012
George W. Stevens – December 29, 2011
Robert L. Schleret – December 6, 2011
William J. Myers – November 20, 2011
Joseph F. Tuchewicz – November 20, 2011
Joseph J. Trichilo – November 14, 2011
Robert E. Dugan – November 2, 2011
Frank A. Monto – October 18, 2011
Eugene J. Wilbur – September 29, 2011
Earl F. Flath – September 1, 2011
Harold T. “Bud” Buske – September 1, 2011
Charles J. “Charlie O.” Ostrander – July 9, 2011
James Irving O’Hearn June 1, 2011
Michael F. Redmond – May 16, 2011
Leonard C. Muhl – May 5, 2011
Lawrence Mott – April 24, 2011

Sam F. Rozzano – April 6, 2011
Henry “Hank” G. Church – April 6, 2011
Mathew S. Wojcik – March 2, 2011
Rocco Bufano – February 7, 2011
James C. Williams – January 23, 2011
William J. “Frag” Barrett – January 16, 2011
John Szczech Jr. – November 26, 2010
Chester A. Ledger – November 19, 2010
Ronald J. Merrill Sr. – November 5, 2010
William Paul Boynton – October 21, 2010
Raymond Hoxie – September 15, 2010
Shannon E. Ahern – August 3, 2010
Wesley G. “Wes” Muller – July 31, 2010
John A. Dineen – June 25, 2010
John E. Grosso – June 1, 2010
James E. Whipple – May 22, 2010
George J. Podolak – April 9, 2010
Francis “Shine” Wlosinski – March 23, 2010
David Richard Lehrer – February 12, 2010
Daniel Romano – December 16, 2009
Paul A. Kline – December 16, 2009
Anthony C. Grosso – October 28, 2009
Richard Simone – October 24, 2009
Fred Brown – September 28, 2009
Robert E. Grabowski – September 25, 2009
Frederic Renz – June 1, 2009
Robert E. Griffin – December 24, 2008
Paul S. Conger – December 19, 2008

Ronald F. Liquori – December 8, 2008
Louis M. Tripoli – October 26, 2008
John R. Corbett – October 14, 2008
Carroll Margrey – October 10, 2008
Andrew Schafer – September 12, 2008
Charles Ragonese – August 22, 2008
Charles E. Holt – July 26, 2008
William Jordan – June 9, 2008
Robert Klasen – May 27, 2008
Robert Snogles – May 22, 2008
Timothy G. Huppmann – April 7, 2008
Frederick G. Passett Sr. – March 5, 2008
Kenneth F. Blume – February 11, 2008
Roger D. Amidon Sr. – February 1, 2008
Leon L. Schwenn – January 8, 2008
Frank C. Burke – January 2, 2008
John Adydan – November 28, 2007
Richard Coots – November 20, 2007
Carl Pelkowski – November 12, 2007
Daniel Driscoll – July 29, 2007
Patsy Calarco – July 24, 2007
William Guild, Jr. – July 22, 2007
Salvatore A. Frio – May 24, 2007
Thomas Gallagher – April 17, 2007
Charles Legg – April 10, 2007
Edward N. Thomas, Sr. – April 2, 2007

Robert E. Smith

September 2, 2020

Long-time President of the Syracuse Fire Department Retirees Association. Bob joined the Syracuse Fire Department in 1951. While on the department, he also served as President of the International Association of Firefighters, Local 280. After his retirement, he became President of the Syracuse Retired Firefighters Association, a position he held with tremendous dedication for 34 years. With great appreciation, we salute Bob Smith’s life of service to his fellow firefighters.

H. Thomas Laun

April 29, 2020

After retiring, Tom Laun took on the responsibility of announcing the Roll Call of firefighters names who died in line of duty deaths each year at the Collins Block Memorial ceremonies. He felt that the names were often mispronounced and, as he had known them all, was able to give them the honor which they deserved. Tom also drew up plans to honor all Firefighters who lost their lives in the tragic 9/11 disaster and arranged a memorial stone in the side yard of Engine 17 on Midler Avenue. Always faithful to the department he loved, he also was a member of the Bereaved Retirees who represented the department at funerals for our Brothers. Tom will be missed for his deep devotion to the Department, his hearty laugh, and constant willingness to always be the first to step up in any time of need.

Dave Sinclair

March 19, 2020

Dave served as the dedicated, long-time Treasurer of the Syracuse Retired Firefighters Association. We thank him for his years of service to the Syracuse Fire Department and this organization.