Notes |
- North Tonawanda NY Evening News - 9/17/1958
C. Grover Rech, Tonawanda fire chief for 37 years
and a n a t i v e of Tonawanda, died Tuesday afternoon at
Northtown Nursing Homeafter an illness of
several weeks. He was 73 y e a r s old.
Mr. Rech, who lived at 453 S.
Niagara St., joined the Niagara
Hose Volunteer Fire Company in
1902. He was appointed assistant
fire chief in 1906. In 1916, he became
a paid fireman and at the
same time department chief.
Chief Rech retired from the department
July 1, 1953. At that
time his length of service was noted
as one of the longest on record
in New York State.
As a businessman, he operated
the Rech's Coffee Shop in Young
St. from 1923 to 1941. Mr. Rech
also was the owner of the Charles
W. Rech and Son Liquor Store in
Young St. for 25 years to the time
of his death.
He managed the Niagara semipro
baseball team before World
War I. Fishing, swimming a nd
baseball were among his sports in
terests.
He was a member of the Dela-
ware Hose Company's 50 Year
Club, Niagara Hose Company, El-
dredge Bicycle Club and a life
member of the Uniformed Fire-
men's Association.
Mr. Rech is survived by h i s '
wife, the former Grace Johnston;
two daughters. Mrs. Ludomir La-
zarz of Tonawanda and Mrs. Cur-
tis Owens of Norfolk, Va.; two
sons, C. Grover Rech Jr., of Ton-
awanda and Jack W. Rech of Chicago,
Ill.; two granddaughters;
three sisters, Mrs. C. A. Warner
and Mrs. A. P. Hardleben, both of
Tonawanda, and Mrs. Harry M.
Karcher of Oswego.
Services, being arranged by
John O. Roth Funeral Home.
|