A procession of local firefighters and others traveled from the Cascade Park area to Hazel Dell on Monday morning to honor former Vancouver Fire Department Capt. Carl Murray.
Murray, who died of cancer on July 30 at age 51, served the department for 21 years.
His death is classified as a “line of duty death” because firefighters are exposed to “toxic products of combustion” that are known to cause cancer, Vancouver Operations Chief Dan Olson said.
The procession began at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, 1101 N.E. 112th Ave., at 10 a.m. and traveled to the First Church of God, 3300 N.E. 78th St., for an 11 a.m. public memorial. Hundreds of people packed into the church’s sanctuary, including many uniformed law enforcement personnel and firefighters.
Friends and family described Murray as having an “infectious” and positive personality.
Vancouver Battalion Chief Rick Steele read highlights from Murray’s performance appraisals over the years that said he was “extremely self-motivated,” had great integrity and always led by example.
