Today, we attended the funeral and final farewell of a legend in the Charleston Fire Department. Battalion Chief Louis DeWitt, Retired, was laid to rest next to his beloved wife, Jane, at Dorchester Memory Gardens in Summerville. Chief DeWitt, at 98 years old, was one of the last longstanding members of the Charleston Fire Department. As I sat by the graveside today listening to the pastor, memories flooded through my mind. First, as a young man in the Fire Service back in the 1960s, I first met Chief Dewitt and was in awe of him as a member of the fire department. I have many memories of him over the years when we would respond to fires together. Even though he was nearly thirty years older than me, he always showed me respect as a fellow chief officer. In 2013, he lost his beloved wife, Jane, and I went out to his house in Cottageville to visit him often. We would sit and tell war stories and sometimes he would ask me to go to the cemetery with him to visit Ms. Jane’s grave. Today, we were there again. Chief Dewitt loved animals, and his dog, Peaches, survives him. He and Peaches could be seen riding around together with frequent stops to get themselves a hamburger. I was so proud today of the men and women of the Charleston Fire Department as they stood at attention at the graveside. Many of them are young firefighters who never had an opportunity to serve with Chief DeWitt, but I want them to know that they served him well today and I am sure he would have been pleased. Thank you to each of them. Also, thank you to Battalion Chief Buddy Aytes, CFD Retired, who took care of Chief DeWitt for all his needs in recent years and showed us all today what the “brotherhood” is all about. Thank you, Chief Louie, for teaching us your love of being a firefighter. Rest easy now, my friend, I look forward to seeing you again. (fb)

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