Firefighters lined the sidewalk in front of the fire hall this morning to give a salute as a hearse drove by caring the body of the late Francis Maguire, a former Collingwood fire chief.
Maguire died on Wednesday, April 29 at Campbell House Hospice at 84 years old after a battle with cancer.
“I’ve had special times of my life to remember and enjoy as I passed 84 years,” wrote Maguire in an obituary he wrote for himself before he died.
He was a member of the Collingwood Fire Department from 1962 to 1993, and was chief for 17 years. He also worked in the drawing office at Collingwood Shipyards Engineering, and graduated from Collingwood Collegiate Institute.
He was married to Patricia Marie Lewin, who died in 1995. The two had two children Mary Patricia, and a boy Michael Francis, who died as an infant in 1964.
In his obituary, Maguire honoured his partner and very best friend for over 25 years, Mary Cain.
“My battle with cancer was eased with you at my side to steer me through each day with appointments and my 24-hour medical needs,” wrote Maguire.
He said he was blessed by his daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and also the “McLean, Fawcett, and Kirby kids.”
One such Kirby kid is John Kirby. Maguire married Kirby’s first cousin.
“Over the years I spent a lot of time with him,” said Kirby of Maguire. “He was a very generous man. He would take my brother and myself and my younger cousins on camping trips.”
Kirby said they camped in Huntsville and Parry Sound, and remembered Maguire was always helpful to relatives and friends.
But Kirby and Maguire had a professional relationship as well. Kirby sat on town council from 1978 to 1985.
He said due to his familial relationship with Maguire, he declared conflicts on any decisions relating to the fire department, but that didn’t stop him from observing Maguire in his role as chief.
“Chief Maguire was an important part of the new fire police complex (now the OPP headquarters on Ontario Street),” said Kirby. “He spent much time working with Councillors Jack Saunders and Ray Barker to plan and build this building.”
Maguire, said Kirby, also worked hard at his education and training, even going back to take university courses on weekends and on his holidays to earn a bachelor’s degree.
“Francis carried this drive and work ethic into his family life and work,” said Kirby. “Chief Maguire led by example … he raised the professionalism among firefighters … he made them realize how important they were to the safety of our community and made the public realize the importance of our professional firefighters.”
Another retired Collingwood fire chief, Trent Elyea, got his start in the fire service after being hired by Maguire in 1982.
“He was a great chief and a great person,” tweeted Elyea.
There will be no public funeral service for Maguire, and he asked that donations to the Juvenile DIabetes fund be made in honour of his late wife’s battle with diabetes.
"Should you wish to celebrate my life, remember me as I passed through yours," wrote Maguire in his obituary.
Today at 10 a.m. Fawcett Funeral home drove the hearse past the fire hall, where flags flew at half-mast and firefighters, both active and retired, saluted as the vehicle passed slowly. There was silence as the hearse passed.
