Chuck Himsel Remembered

A last run for Charles Himsel, Mount Horeb's longtime fire chief
GEORGE HESSELBERG | 608-252-6140 | ghesselberg[at] madison [dot] com| Posted: Monday, February 8, 2010 4:15 pm
Wisconsin State Journal 

MOUNT HOREB — The village fire chief, Charles "Fire Truck Chuck" Himsel, was mourned and buried Monday, escorted to his grave by a cortege of big shiny trucks and throngs of friends from the overlapping communities he served, taught and comforted for 40 years.

Himsel, 67, died at home while talking on the telephone Feb. 1.

He was not just a longtime supporter of the local fire department; he was a lifetime supporter. He joined the Mount Horeb Fire Department in 1965, at the age of 23, but he had been around the fire house all his life. In 1978, he succeeded his dad, Howard "Howdy" Himsel, as chief.

Himsel died on his father's birthday and on what would have been his 32nd anniversary as fire chief.

Everyone here knew this would be a big funeral. Himsel was connected in one way or another with just about every fire station in southern Wisconsin, and had trained many firefighting students at Madison Area Technical College.

At least 50 fire trucks from other fire departments were parked along Main Street, diesel engines growling, lights flashing. Three of them — including one named "Pumpernickel" that was bedecked in black raiment and carried the casket — were in the cortege to the cemetery three blocks from the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The morning funeral drew an overflowing crowd of 1,000, from the formally uniformed members of the Mount Horeb Fire Department and visiting chiefs to the white-haired locals in their good sweaters and herringbone sport coats.

One of those, Elva Jeanne Hanna, was sitting in the balcony, and had known Himsel most of her life. "He was so helpful. I always said, ‘If I needed help, Chuck would be there.' "

At the funeral, the Pastor John Twiton, who is also the chaplain for the fire department, made some of his remarks from behind a lectern converted from the grill of a 1948 Pirsch pumper truck, moved from the station for the funeral. Twiton said Himsel was the sort of person to whom "helping anyone in need was not a chore or a burden, but a calling."

Himsel was always the last one remaining at the scene of a tragedy, making sure all needs were met, said Twiton, and he spoke of the "countless times he would come to help someone in need."

Outside, sunny skies defied a dour winter weather forecast and added gleam to the half-mile or so of firefighting chrome parked in the street.

On the way to the cemetery, mourners passed beneath a large American flag unfurled from two long firetruck ladders criss-crossed over the street. The trucks were parked beside the house where Himsel had lived and which was recognizable in recent years for the many flags he had hanging from the front porch.

Himsel grew up in Mount Horeb, went away to college in Decorah and Platteville, and taught mathematics for several years. He also taught fire science at MATC, retiring in 2006. It was said he never took a vacation, for fear of missing a fire call.

A fine trumpet player and a robust tenor, he sang in several choirs. A faded news clipping shows him in a 1973 production of the Madison Civic Opera, cast as Rinuccio in Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi." But Himsel was more recognizable singing parts for the Firehouse Minstrels (which anchored the music at the funeral with its tingling Battle Hymn of the Republic), the local production of the Song of Norway, the Kristmenn and Old Hickory.

Himsel died of "natural causes," according to the Dane County coroner's office, where details were not available. Himsel, who had diabetes, lost part of his left leg to the disease several years ago. He had been troubled in recent months by debates in the community and the department about equipment and staffing. He had been suspended since last November, following a heated dispute at a department meeting.

At the time, he told the Mount Horeb Mail weekly newspaper that he felt unsure of his own future with the department:

"I love this job," Himsel said, "except some of the personnel things. This has been my life for coming up on 40 years.

"I think maybe it is time for me to pack up and leave," Himsel continued, "but I don't want to do this until, if there is any problems that I have caused, I don't want to leave with the problem unsolved."

Himsel had been talking on the phone to the town of Madison fire chief at about 10:30 a.m. when he collapsed and died, according to a Mount Horeb police report.