Marion County Fire Fighter Memorial

In 2006, a group of Marion firefighters—including Cory Rogers, Billy Whitaker, and Assistant Chief Tony Zwolle—set out to create a memorial honoring the service and sacrifice of local firefighters. Land for the monument was generously donated by the cemetery board just north of the main entrance.

The memorial features striking black and gray granite, with a central pillar supporting a firefighter statue and a bronze emblem. Flanking granite wings display the Fireman’s Prayer and honor the 11 firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty. Surrounding the monument is a patio paved with engraved granite tiles purchased by community members to recognize and remember loved ones.

Financed by the membership of Post 584, the memorial was installed in April 2007 and engraved by retired firefighter Robert Johns of C & J Lettering in Lima. It was officially dedicated on October 9, 2007, during Fire Prevention Week. Today, the site stands as a lasting tribute to the courage and dedication of Marion’s firefighters.