Louisville Retired Firefighters @retiredfirefighters - Tumblr Blog

Rick Kemerly

I received the following from Nancy Kemerly, Rick's wife, today.

It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Retired Captain Rick Kemerly on July 13th, 2026. In his nearly 30 year service to the fire department Rick was stationed at many of the houses and made many good friends, He was a jokester and an all-round funny guy, and, loved boating and water! Rick retired in 2005 and began a new career in floor plan auditing. He retired for good in 2019. Rick was 73, Left to cherish his memory is his wife Nancy, his sister Lisa Saffran, his granddaughters Josie and Emily, his niece Shelby and his nephew Kyle. There will be no formal funeral at the present time, however, late summer a Celebration of Life will be planned and invitations will be forthcoming.

Mary Bourke Cameron (Widow of Gordon Cameron)

(She was the oldest beneficiary in the Louisville Firefighters Pension Fund.)

Mary Bourke Wagner Cameron, age 104 of Louisville, Kentucky passed away on Saturday, June 27, 2026. Mary Bourke was born to the late George and Virginia Wagner on December 21, 1921. She was a devoted mother and homemaker. She graduated from Louisville Girls High School in 1939. Mary Bourke was a charter member of St. Martha Catholic Church, St. Martha Altar Society and the Buechel Woman's Club. Mary Bourke worked at L&N Railroad until her marriage to Gordon.

Later in life she thoroughly enjoyed arranging bus travel groups for many friends - and always began the ride with the Lord's Prayer for a safe journey. She was an avid fan of horse racing, tennis and loved playing ping pong and slot machines.

Mary Bourke was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon; her parents; four year old son, Robert; infant granddaughter, Sarah; and brothers, George and Ben Wagner.

She leaves to cherish her memory, her loving sons, George, Ross (Lisa) and Vincent Cameron; loving daughters, Mary Virginia Joseph (Larry), Bridget Goldsmith (Max), Alice Roth (Dave), Lillian Lynch and Rita Cameron; several grand-children and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews; and a host of relatives and friends.

Visitation will be from 10am to 11am on Thursday, July 9, 2026 at St. Martha Catholic Church, 2825 Klondike Lane, Louisville, Kentucky 40218. A Mass of Celebration will be there at 11am, followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Mass of the Air.

To leave a special message for the family, please use the "Guestbook" feature below. Link to obit: https://www.newcomerkentuckiana.com/obituaries/mary-bourke-cameron

Information About This Month's Lunch Lunch is this coming Thursday. Here are the details:

Date: 07/09/2026 Time: 11:30 AM Location: Cluckers 10966 Dixie Hwy. Louisville, KY 40272

Earl Lile - Celebration of Life

Bonnie Lile and family will have a celebration of life for Luther Earl Lile, retired Captain T1 and retired Sgt Fire Prevention on: Saturday July 18 The Mellwood Tavern 1801 Brownsboro Rd In the Rendezvous Room (upstairs) 4-8 PM

Memorials and music at 5 PM – 6 PM on the outside stage. Link to obit: https://magnoliacremations.com/blogs/obituaries/luther-earl-lile?srsltid=AfmBOoo5_Ckt4djDrxS9FhQGJo_31ve1sAnqMVMTEjZjVjdhu2Qcu5Eh

Penny Knear (Leonard Knear's Wife)

Penny Page Knear, of Elizabeth, Indiana, passed away on July 1, 2026. She was born on August 13, 1951, in New Albany, Indiana, Penny lived a life full of love and devotion to her family and work. Penny had a long career at the Census Bureau, where she served as a clerk until her retirement. Often times she could be found shopping at thrift stores, playing bingo and bunco. Her caring nature and unwavering spirit were reflected in her love by spending time with her family and friends.

Penny was preceded in death by her parents, Douglas Watson (Christine) and Martha Williams (Joseph), brother, Robert J. Williams, Sister, Sharon Waggoner.

Penny is survived by her devoted spouse of 52 years, Leonard Knear, daughter, Wendy Montgomey (Roger), two grandchildren: Haylie & Brandon, three great grandchildren: Avarie, Hadley, Landrey, as well as her sister, Dana.

Visitation will be held at the Gehlbach & Royse Funeral Home (318 East Chestnut Street, Corydon, Indiana 47112) on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, from 1:00 PM until 7:00 PM and Wednesday, July 8, 2026, starting at 9:00 AM until the service time. Funeral service will follow on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the funeral home in Corydon.

We invite all who knew Penny to share their cherished memories and upload photos to her memorial page. May her memory continue to inspire love and kindness in all of us.

Link to obit: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/penny-knear-obituary?id=61880658&__cf_chl_f_tk=31XXz_Un2jFQfotoh4RYpf9OeTAhEkfrOE077GcHhJ0-1783072027-1.0.1.1-TSCc384X8DRv4zBQSSDbpMf1whWgIxPWOAsf2Q.fwoA

Vintage Fire Museum - Bigger, Better, than Ever!

Looking for the ultimate summer family adventure right here in Southern Indiana? The Vintage Fire Museum at 706 Spring Street in downtown Jeffersonville just doubled in size, and we are ready to turn up the heat on summer fun!

What’s New? Step Into History! We’ve officially opened our brand-new 7,000-square-foot building addition! Designed to look like a classic, historic brick firehouse, this incredible expansion allows us to bring our massive collection of motorized history out of storage and onto the floor.

See Legendary Rigs: Get up close to historic, red-hot fire engines from Jeffersonville, New Albany, Bedford, and Louisville—including the famous 1921 American LaFrance truck that served New Albany during the Great 1937 Ohio River Flood.

Explore Firefighting Evolution: Walk through time from 1700s hand-pumped carts and steam engines to powerful modern motorized trucks.

Summer Safety Pioneers: Fun for the Kids! Beat the summer heat while giving your kids the tools to be real-life safety heroes. Our Safety Education Center features interactive exhibits designed for families and youth groups.

Where Education Meets Adventure: Kids won't just look at history—they'll learn how to stay safe! Our state-of-the-art electronic fire-simulation equipment vividly teaches vital fire-safety actions, giving children hands-on practice with emergency awareness in a fun, completely safe environment.

Sound the Alarm: Our Capital Campaign Has Kicked Off! While we are celebrating this massive milestone, our engine isn't stopping here! We have officially kicked off a major Capital Campaign to pay for the expansion and fund the next phase of our museum's future.

Your support will help preserve irreplaceable firefighting history, upgrade our high-tech educational tools, and ensure we can offer life-saving safety programs to local children for generations to come. Find information on participating in the campaign at www.vintagefiremuseum.org, by emailing [email protected], or by calling the board chair at 502-599-2522.

Plan Your Summer Visit! Whether you're looking for an unforgettable family afternoon, a unique daycare field trip, or a summer camp excursion, we have something for everyone.

Where: 706 Spring St, Jeffersonville, IN 47130 Hours: Tuesday through Saturday (10 AM – 4 PM) Admission: Adults $10, Children $5. Discounted rates for large groups! Guided tours are always included with your visit.

June 2026 Lunch Photos by John Turner

Information About This Month's Lunch Lunch is this coming Thursday. Here are the details:

Date: 06/11/2026 Time: 11:30 AM Location: Ott's Tavern 4229 Hillview Ave. Louisville, KY 40216

Vintage Fire Museum – Capital Campaign Announcement

Sixteen years ago, the Vintage Fire Museum was established as a nonprofit to preserve the great Fred Conway legacy of firefighting history and to share it and more both locally and nationally. We couldn’t have dreamed how successful this effort would be. And now we are inaugurating a three-year $500,000 capital campaign to further expand and highlight the amazing story with more historic, authentic equipment. Through its history, the Museum has received wonderful community support, allowing collection, land, and building purchase and improvement of over $1.5 million. In addition, this support has already made possible the payment of half of the cost of the beautiful new expansion building that doubles the size of the Museum. The capital campaign will cover the other half of the cost and will enable the Museum to continue to be debt-free. The preliminary silent phase of the campaign has reached 18% of the goal with gifts and pledges. We invite the community to join in and help achieve another success. Information on participating in the campaign may be found at www.vintagefiremuseum.org, by emailing [email protected], or by calling the board chair at 502-599-2522. Contributions/pledges may be sent to: Vintage Fire Museum 706 Spring Street Jeffersonville, IN 47130

Helen Kuster (Tom Kuster's Wife)

Helen May Nutt Kuster, age 86, passed away on May 10th, 2026. She was born on August 7th, 1939, in Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of Charles E. and Leola Doyle Nutt.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband, Thomas T. Kuster; her son, Eddie Kuster and her brother, Kenneth Nutt.

She is survived by her sons, Thomas (Rafael), Ron (Kathy), Dan (Karen) and Patrick (Marie); and her grandchildren, Justin (Amanda), Hayden, Logan, Jeremy, Kaelin (Ally), Paisley, Hannah (Tim), Steven (Brody) and Emily (Jonathan).

Helen was a sharp, witty, and unforgettable woman. She carried many sides to her personality, and each of her closest family members knew a different version of her. She could be playful and warm one moment, stubborn and difficult the next, often keeping those around her on their toes. She had a quick wit, a strong opinion about nearly everything, and rarely hesitated to let you know exactly where she stood.

She was happiest when she was with her boys, her grandchildren, and especially the newer great-grandchildren who brought fresh light into her life. Around them, she lit up completely. She loved being part of their lives, celebrating their victories, following their accomplishments, and cheering them on with genuine pride.

Helen’s visitation will be from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, on Wednesday, May 20th, at Highlands Funeral Home, 3331 Taylorsville Road, Louisville, KY 40205.

Private burial will be in Highland Memory Gardens in Mount Washington, Kentucky.

Link to obit: https://www.highlandsfuneralhome.com/memorials/helen-kuster/5711871/

May 2026 Lunch Photos by John Turner

Helen Roeder (Tony Strong's Mother)

Helen Roeder, born October 19, 1942, passed on May 14, 2026, at the age of 83. She was a very skilled gardener. She found peace in gardening, tending to it with patience and devotion, and taking comfort in the beauty that grows through time and attention. She will be dearly missed.

Helen was preceded in death by her son: Tim Strong. She is survived by her sons: Tony Strong (Terri), Terry Strong; grandchildren: Samantha Strong, Chandler Strong, Benjamin Strong, Brandon Strong, & Breann Strong.

Visitation will be held at Arch L. Heady & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 8519 Preston Highway, Louisville, KY 40219, on May 19, 2026, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

A Funeral Service will be held at Arch L. Heady & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 8519 Preston Hwy, Louisville, KY 40219, on May 19, 2026, at 1:00 pm.

Burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery, 4623 Preston Hwy, Louisville, Kentucky 40213, on May 19, 2026. Link to obit: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/louisville-ky/helen-roeder-12889199

Margaret Ruth Gillooly, Belated (Owen Thomerson's Daughter & Owen's 6/8/2010 obit)

Below Margaret's obit is her father's obit. Owen retired as a captain on 10/1/1971. He was in the department 20 years and 7 months.

Margaret “Margie” Ruth Gillooly, 79, passed away on April 27, 2026.

Margie had a great sense of style and a love for fashion. She also had a keen eye for interior decorating, creating beautiful and welcoming spaces wherever she lived. A devoted sports fan, she especially loved cheering on UofL and never missed her daughters’ or grandchildren’s games, always the first one in the stands, offering unwavering support. Margie cherished moments spent with her husband, Jimmy, at their lake house on Rough River. They enjoyed floating on their pontoon boat and relaxing on the back deck.

In the 1980s, Margie dedicated her time to coaching girls’ volleyball at St. Barnabas and Mercy Academy, leading her teams to three high school state championships. Her passion, leadership, and commitment left a lasting impact on the many young athletes she coached.

Margie was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 56 years, Jimmy; her parents, Owen and Verna Lee Thomerson; her sister, Elinor Williams; and her brother, Tommy Thomerson.

She is survived by her daughters, Terri (Leo) Clements and Kelly (Kyle) Johnson, and her grandchildren, Madeline and Eli Clements and Jack and Tate Watts.

A visitation to honor her memory will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026, at Highlands Funeral Home, from 11:00am - 1:00pm with her funeral service at 1:00pm. Entombment will follow at Calvary Cemetery.

Thank you to all the incredible staff at Traditions at Beaumont for taking such great care of her for the last three years.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her honor to the Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org/kyin?form=FUNRRQHKHZM

THOMERSON, OWEN, 89, of Louisville, passed away June 8, 2010 at Norton-Audubon Hospital.

He was a retired Louisville firefighter, coached and played baseball for the fire department in the 1950s and was also involved with fast-pitch softball and slow pitch for many years.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Elinor Williams.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Verna Lee Thomerson (Sermersheim); a daughter, Margie Gillooly (Jim); a son, Tommy Thomerson; a sister, Jean Zabel; six grandchildren, Robin, Gina, Terri, Holly, Kelly and Matt; 13 great-grandchildren; a special neighbor and friend, Carol Funk; and special thanks to the VA Home Based Primary Care Program.

Funeral services for Mr. Thomerson will be 10 a.m. Friday at Evergreen Funeral Home with burial in Evergreen Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2-8p.m. on Thursday.

Expressions of sympathy can be made to the Veterans Administration Volunteer Program. Link to obit: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/louisville-ky/owen-thomerson-4279651

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