From the journal of Mory Fuhrmann, Columbus, OH. FPO260:

Its difficult to put into words how Ed affected so many different people's lives. I think the overwhelming commonality was Ed's cheery demeanor. He always started a conversation with a merry "Well, hello there!!!", and often used his trademark "..very good..." when speaking with people. It simply wasn't possible to have a conversation with Ed and not come away happy. His joy and happiness was contagious, he always smiled, and he always enjoyed life. At the memorial service, I noted how many people attended representing so many different parts of Ed's life. Of course, there were many firefighters, but so many others from his congregation (Ed was an ordained minister), from the railfan community, and from Youngstown in general. StatMedevac paid their respects as well. But, damn, theres nothing like a firefighter's memorial service...

Left Columbus at 6 AM...Long emotional drive watching the sun come up. It was perfectly fitting that it was such a beautiful day for Ed. Only high cirrus clouds could be seen, along with the usual airplane mist trails. But the sun was bright, the sky was blue, and it was crisply cool. I don't think a more beautiful day could've been drawn up for him...When I was on I-80 near I-680, I was passed by Whitehall Fire's honor guard. They passed me like I was going backwards, but I found it curiously funny that I arrived at the church fully half an hour ahead of them...Ha...

The one thing I immediately noticed was how many Members of Service attended the service. There must have been something like forty or fifty apparatus from throughout Northern Ohio there, and about 150 or 200 firefighters. Members from the Columbus Fire and Police Fife and Drum Corp attended, along with members from the Cleveland Firefighters Memorial Pipes and Drums, including this drummer who gained fame from that shot, taken at the FDNY Memorial Service. Ed was a hometown guy from Youngstown, and Youngstown Fire really provided a great service, including their Honor Guard who tended to Ed's casket, and provided Parade 1, which carried Ed from the funeral home to the church, and on to Cavalry Cemetery.

A Lieutenant from Bazetta Township, Brian Taylor, our FPO265, was in charge of the firefighter's detail. We all stood at attention as Ed's funeral procession arrived from the funeral home, and the family was led into the church. It was such a surreal moment...As the procession arrived, the church bell was tolling for Ed and his family, and I cried as Ed was removed from Parade 1 and YFD's Honor Guard carried him into the church as the pipe and drums played a processional.

The service was a Catholic one, with prayer and song. I was again amazed to see what a diverse section of people Ed has touched. Firefighters took up all of the outer pews, but the middle pews were also packed full of people, young and old, of all ethnicities. It was a fitting tribute to Ed and the service he provided to people, both physical and spiritual. The presiding Bishop spoke eloquently about Ed's work for the church and for Liberty Township. The church was a beautiful parish, and I think the service would've made Ed happy to see so many people from his life recalling his friendship and service.

The service was dismissed, and firefighters not part of the Honor Guard or riding on apparatus went to their private vehicles to join the procession. I spoke briefly with the Fire Chief from the Youngstown AFB, who also recalled Ed fondly. It was only four miles from the church to the cemetery, but the procession was almost 150 vehicles. En route, we passed by Youngstown Station 7, where Ed hung out all the time, and they had pulled their wagon onto the apron, stood at attention, and laid out an extra set of turnout gear in a missing man formation. We also passed by Station 1, where we passed under a giant US flag and an arch formed by Youngstown Tower 22 and Truck 18 from Brookfield Township.

While we were in the processional, Tac9 sent out a message for us over the national PIN that relayed Ed was being laid to rest...When we arrived at the cemetery, our FPO261 sent out this message:

"YOUNGSTOWN, OH. *LAST ALARM* FF Ed Conricote, Liberty Twp FD & Founding FPO Member FPO/D323 - Currently being laid to rest @ Calvary Cemetery - Rest In Peace - 5-5-5."

It was such a beautiful service, and by far the most emotional part of the day. Youngstown's Honor Guard removed the flag from Ed's coffin, folded it military style, and presented it to Ed's mother.

"*LAST ALARM* MEDEVAC 7 AND 8 TO THE RESTING SITE FOR ED. WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO HONOR ED IN THIS WAY. LOOKED GREAT FROM THE AIR! REST DEAR ED, WE HAVE THE NEXT 'BOX' BROTHER. FPO/D*802 (c)"

As the service ended, I had the chance to meet up with some of the other FirePage guys from Cleveland and Erie, including Randy and Raleigh, 256 and 258. Raleigh took Ed's passing especially hard...Raleigh's daughter was Ed's Goddaughter. We were all that close, but Raleigh was just destroyed...Also at the service was George Erhman, a retired jake from Baltimore City who Ed was especially close to. George was in a losing battle with cancer in the late 90's, and was forced to give up his ownership of Baltimore Metro Dispatch, one of our affiliate groups, and Ed, having never met George, drove to Baltimore to meet George and help him beat cancer...And George did...And he got control of BMD back...That's the kind of man Ed was...

We all met at a local banquet hall for lunch provided by the family, and recalled memories of Ed...Scott later recalled that Evanescence's song My Immortal so clearly illustrated the day for all of us, and when I hear it, I think of seeing Stat Medevac's flyover against the clear blue skies...

Also clowned around in Akron a bit on the way home...Actually, I just drove through the city, also saw the University of Akron...Tried to think about Ed...

Random musings about the day:

When we were at the church, waiting for Ed's funeral procession to arrive, I was lined up in the row behind Whitehall's Honor Guard, specifically John King. 'John T' is one of the more respected members of the department, (though all members of the honor guard are fine, upstanding men) and I was quite honored to be standing along side him.

When Ed's procession arrived, it was led by two Mahoning County Sheriff's motor officers, then Parade 1, then the limo with Ed's family, then Liberty's engine, wagon, and medic, all with black bantering. It was something seeing how Mahoning County and the City of Youngstown provided for Ed and his family. Ed never was officially a member of Youngstown Fire, but he was a long time friend to many in the department, and there was quite a significant turnout of Youngstown's guys, both on duty and off, including the on duty shift commander. The Youngstown Police and Mahoning County Sheriff blacked all the streets along our procession route and many stood at attention as we came by.

A friend of mine later noted that there's nothing like a firefighter's funeral, and shes right...Public safety takes care of their own...No one else will.