A longtime former chief with the Coral-Graceton fire department has passed away.
The department announced on its Facebook page yesterday that life member Harold “Butch” Housholder, Jr. died Wednesday at the age of 72. He served as the chief of Coral-Graceton fire department for 20 years starting in 1974, and oversaw the growth of the department from a single fire engine to having multiple pieces of firefighting apparatus, including the first fire vehicle in Indiana County to be equipped with an onboard air cascade system. Many of the equipment upgrades were through grant projects he spearheaded. He also oversaw the expansion of the firehall, which now has additional truck bays.
Housholder was also remembered as the president of the Indiana Fire Chief’s Association for several years and the founder of the Indiana County Public Safety Academy.
The Bowser Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Homer City is in charge of arrangements, which you can read in his obituary on our website.
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