Published: April 14, 2008 10:58 pm      

Community pays tribute to friend and hero

Hundreds of public service officials and community members witnessed Joe French’s final trip across the city on the Huntsville Fire Department’s 1947 Seagraves pumper truck.

The Rev. Reagan Cooksey shared very real thoughts about the former Huntsville fire chief’s selfless career, exciting life and warm heart at Monday afternoon’s funeral services at First United Methodist Church.

French was later remembered during a brief service in the the Mayes Addition in Oakwood Cemetery where his family was presented the United States flag that was draped over the casket and a shadow box of French’s service medals.

The funeral procession from the church to the cemetery passed under the U.S. flag hanging between the extended ladders of Huntsville and Montgomery aerial trucks at the intersection of 11th Street and Sam Houston Avenue.

Firefighters from the two departments joined in a salute to French earlier Monday afternoon at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Parkway and state Highway 30 when the funeral procession from Lexington entered Huntsville under the U.S. flag hanging between the fire trucks’ extended 100-foot ladders.

Funeral services were held in Lexington on Monday morning.

At Monday afternoon’s service at First United Methodist Church, Cooksey spoke to an audience of hundreds of uniformed members of the fire department, Huntsville Police Department, Walker County Sheriff’s Department, Huntsville-Walker County EMS and several other public safety groups.

“I’m honored to be able to say a few words about my dear friend Joe French,” Cooksey said. “I had the opportunity of knowing Joe for most of his life, and I have a lot of fond memories of the time we spent together.

“I want to share a few things Joe knew about me that no one else knows.”

A longtime friend to French, Cooksey provided insight into his character by telling stories of time he and French spent together both during high school and in the years after.

“When we were kids, the Smither overpass went basically nowhere, and every Friday night, we’d all go out and see who could go fastest on it,” he said. “A lot of times, he’d be declared the winner. We had a lot of fun going out there.

“Joe knew me before I was a preacher, and we enjoyed a lot of times together — some I can tell you about, some I can’t, but we had a good time.”

Cooksey discussed French’s involvement with the police and fire departments in Huntsville, which began only years after he graduated high school.

Since French was relatively young when he got involved in public service, Cooksey said he was just young enough to know the “hot spots” in town, and just old enough to sometimes need to break up the parties held there.

“When he got out of high school, he went immediately into the police department, and it seemed like he was always involved with the fire department,” he said. “Joe had access to lights and sirens, and I can remember a few times when he used them.

“He knew where the kids went and would show up just long enough to ruin the fun before, oftentimes, joining in anyway.”

After sharing more stories about French’s love of hot rods, dirt track racing and good laughs, Cooksey discussed the contributions he made to residents both in Huntsville and around the state.

“Let me tell you something I really believe about Joe French and all of the other men and women in uniform,” he said. “They have taken an oath to serve in a way that many of us wouldn’t dream of serving, and Joe had that in his heart. People like Joe French cared about serving, and this city can be credited by men like him.

“We really have lost a great servant, someone irreplaceable, in losing Joe French. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to know him, know his stories and laugh and smile with him every time I saw him.”

The Rev. Bruce Hay also participated in the service.