Horning honored four years later

A special commemorative memorial service took place Saturday for an area firefighter who died in 2015.The death of Townsend Township Fire Capt. Charles Horning only recently was ruled as something that happened in the line of duty. A group of people from the township and surrounding areas showed up Saturday morning at the Fallen Firefighter Memorial on Shady Lane Drive in Norwalk to honor Horning's sacrifice. Family, friends and other firefighters added his name to the list of five others already on the statue, recognized for paying the ultimate price in their service of keeping the community safe. He joined Norwalk Chief William Bascom, Bellevue Chief Van Barklow, Norwalk firefighter Edward Haas, Plymouth firefighter Mark Didion and Bellevue Lt. James Harvey.Horning died from a heart attack shortly before noon Oct. 13, 2015, something deemed to have been related to the fire earlier that day.Typically any natural cause of death that occurs within 24 hours of a fire call can be ruled as dying "in the line of duty" for firefighters."He was a good firefighter, very involved," Townsend Chief Michael Hahn said in a previous interview."He always was willing to help out and to help younger guys train. Not just the younger guys, though — he wanted to help train the whole department, to help the whole department get better as a whole and be the best. ... His favorite was vehicle extraction training. He loved that."Engraved in the memorial's marble are the names, dates of death and areas served of the honored firefighters. (From top to bottom): Chief William J Bascom, Feb. 2, 1929 of Norwalk; Chief Van Barklow of Bellevue, Feb. 7, 1936; firefighter Edward Haas, April 25, 1970 of Norwalk; firefighter Mark A Didion of Plymouth, Dec. 19, 1976; Lieutenant James E Harvey, Aug. 18, 1988 of Bellevue; Captain Charles H Horning II, of Townsend Twp., Oct. 13, 2015.HorningThe names of fallen firefighters that are engraved into marble: (top to bottom) Chief William J Bascom, Chief Van Barklow, firefighter Edward Haas, firefighter Mark A Didion, Lieutenant James E Harvey and Captain Charles H Horning II; Included are the dates of the honored's deaths and the areas they served.A view leading up to the firefighters memorial.Pictured is the plaque of donors that sits behind the memorial statue.Pictured is the firefighters memorial from the right.Pictured is the view leading up to the firefighters memorial.Pictured is the bronze statue that sits atop the memorial.Pictured is the bronze statue memorializing fallen firefighters.