This year’s Minnesota Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service, at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28, will add six inscribed columns to the Minnesota Fallen Firefighter Memorial on the grounds of the State Capitol, marking 253 Minnesota firefighters who have died in the line of duty.
Columns will be unveiled honoring Laura Zumbusch-Wood of the Victoria Fire Department, who died July 27, 2025; Andrew Karels of the Amboy Fire Department, who died June 2, 2025; Chief Jason Gruett of the Goodview Fire Department, who died March 12, 2025; Gary Schroeder, Jr., of the Zumbrota Fire Department, who died April 17, 2023; Roland Limpert of the Goodview Fire Department, who died October 31, 1965; and Assistant Chief Frederick Granzow of the Duluth Fire Department, who died Sept. 10, 1915.
The event will honor all of Minnesota’s 253 fallen firefighters, including a special remembrance of Captain John Heuer, Erling Armstrong and Richard Neikirk of the West St. Paul Fire Department who all died January 11, 1974, when a 10,000-gallon propane tank exploded.
Schedule:
10:45 Posting of the Guard
11:45 Reading of the Honor Roll
12:30 Sea of Uniforms
12:40 Processional begins
1:00 Memorial Service begins
Every year since 2011, hundreds of people have gathered on the grounds of the State Capitol on the last Sunday of September for a solemn ceremony to remember the Minnesota firefighters who have died in the line of duty. The ceremony is scheduled to include a wreath laying, reading of the honor roll, comments from dignitaries, bag pipes and a bell ceremony.
Since 1881, 253 Minnesota firefighters have died in the line of duty. Their names have been inscribed on columns throughout the nationally recognized memorial, located on the south side of the Capitol grounds. The Minnesota Fire Service Foundation coordinates the effort to recognize the state’s firefighters who died in the line of duty and provides support and resources to fire departments, firefighters, and their families throughout Minnesota. The memorial service is held each year on the last Sunday in September, which has been designated as the state’s official day to honor Minnesota’s fallen firefighters. To donate to the foundation, visit
https://mnfireservicefoundation.org/donations/.
Also check out other Nonprofit events in St Paul.
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