Honoring a fallen hero: Mourners pay their final respects to PB firefighter
By Amy Widner
Saturday, May 29, 2010

The Pine Bluff firefighters at Lt. David Curlin's funeral didn't look like firefighters at first -- just men, women, this one tall, this one short -- their individual attributes standing out despite the homogenizing effect of their uniforms.

They stood in a circle. Nearby: Curlin's flag-draped casket and the fire truck that would later carry him to his final resting place at Graceland Cemetery.
But then, something changed. Fire Chief Dannie Smith entered the Convention Center floor with Curlin's wife, Pamela, on his arm, and the rest of the Curlin family followed.
The firefighters came to attention, and suddenly they were firefighters, unmistakably. Their protective circle surrounded the Curlin family.

It's as if firemen become firemen when there is someone to protect. Firemen are people who risk their lives protecting others, and speaker after speaker at Curlin's funeral Friday attested that he was one of those people.

Curlin died May 22 at age 40, several months after suffering substantial injuries when a wall fell on him Jan. 4 while he was fighting a fire in downtown Pine Bluff. Curlin had served department for 14 years.

Smith described Curlin as someone who was at his best in the classroom as the department's training officer. Smith is relatively new to the department, and said he first got to know Curlin after the accident. The Curlin he grew to befriend was shockingly upbeat -- a fighter and a finisher, Smith said.
A fighter and a finisher

"I learned not only was he a fighter and a finisher, but that he had faith and confidence that he could do anything he could put his mind to," Smith said. "But I've also learned that many of you all who knew him felt that way about David, too."
Curlin's death was unexpected. He had made significant progress in his recovery and was expected to return home in coming weeks.

As painful as that sudden and unexpected death was, Smith said, Curlin's life serves as an example to all of us to fight the good fight, he said, citing scripture. Smith promised the men of his department that they would lean on each other for support through their loss.

Mayor Carl A. Redus Jr. told the group of firefighters -- many of whom sat leaning on each other, passing boxes of Kleen-X around, adjusting and readjusting their uniforms or sitting still, heads down, hands working -- that the community is there to support them as well.

"I know that losing a comrade is one of the most difficult burdens you can bear," Redus said. "You protect this city every day. We owe you our most sincere gratitude, support and comfort."

About 450 people attended the funeral, including law enforcement, first responders and firefighters from across the state and elsewhere: Baton Rouge, La., West Memphis, Helena/West Helena, Lake Hamilton, Watson Chapel, Wabbeseka, White Hall, Highway 15 South, Hardin, Little Rock, Vilonia, Redfield, East End, Turtle Creek, Conway, Wright-Pastoria, the Arkansas Fire Academy, Heber Springs, Hot Springs, Bella Vista, Monticello, Ouachita County Emergency Management, Bauxite and Searcy. The Arkansas Fallen Riders Association motorcycle riders were also in attendance.

Curlin's daughter, Tarah, and father, George, spoke, sharing their memories with the group through their tears.
You could talk to him

Tarah called her father dependable, honest, someone she could tell anything to.
"I want you to celebrate his life," Tarah said. "He had anything and everything. He had a family he loved, friends he could depend on and a job he loved doing."

George spoke to the same faith and confidence mentioned by Smith that Curlin had in himself and others had in him. Members of the Pine Bluff Emergency Services Department visited Curlin in the hospital every day, and Curlin talked about returning to the job in a training capacity.

"We always knew he would get better. We always felt there was a job waiting for him," George said, looking to Redus and Smith, seated behind him, who nodded. "We always knew he would get back to the job he loved so much."
George described Curlin as stubborn, fearless and a man of integrity.
"He not only had character, he was a character," George said.

Curlin was from Watson Chapel, where he graduated from high school in 1988. In 1990 he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Desert Storm. While working at the Pine Bluff fire department, he also volunteered with the Watson Chapel Volunteer Fire Department.

Survivors include his wife, Pamela Spriggs Curlin; three daughters, Tarah Curlin, Katherine Brianne Curlin and Kaylee Curlin; one step-daughter, Haley Appleget; father and step-mother, George and Phyllis Curlin; mother and step-father, Rita and Joe Gronwald; two brothers, Joseph Edward Gronwald and Jason Gronwald of Hensley; and one sister, Christina McDaniel.

He made his peace
Dave Henderson, the department's chaplain and a close friend of Curlin's, said that Curlin made his peace with God while he was in the hospital.
"These 140 days that David had after his accident, a lot of people say, 'Why these 140 days? Why didn't God just take him there at the scene of the accident?' David wasn't through yet," Henderson said. "He's touched the lives of everyone in this room. ... He affected lives all over -- not just in Pine Bluff, but the world."
Henderson reminded the group that Curlin had designed the patch that Pine Bluff firefighters wear on their left shoulder.

"As we go on in the world to the next blaze, to the next rescue, we carry with us his legacy," Capt. Eddie Parsley said. "He will not be standing right there with us, but he will be with us in our hearts."