Letter to the Editor

Reader pleased for former fire chief

Sunday, April 13, 2008

To the Editor:

I read with interest the article about Francis South celebrating his 90th birthday at Cloverleaf Healthcare Facility.

What a nice gesture for the firemen to surprise him with a birthday cake. I know the Brazil Fire Department has always meant a lot to Mr. South.

My grandfather, Barney Foulke, used to be a fireman back in the 40s and 50s.

He was the fire chief in the 40s. In the 50s, my grandfather worked on the same shift with Francis South.

That was a good shift with several outstanding fellows working together.

My sister and I would drop in at the fire building occasionally to see our grandpa. We were attending school at Brazil Junior High School at that time, and on a few occasions, we took our lunch to the firehouse and sat on the running board of a fire truck to eat and chat a minute with our grandpa.

That was quite a thrill!

Among our favorite firemen were South (as they called him), Alvin Buck (Bucky, as he was better known), Kenny Bass and Kenny Royer.

Throughout the years, I have seen Mr. South around town here and there, and he always remembers me. Happy Birthday, South!

Betty Niswonger-Green,

Brazil