Columbus safety forces mourning deaths of firefighter, recently retired police commander
Columbus first responders are mourning this week after the unexpected deaths of a 25-year firefighter and a recently retired police commander.
On Tuesday, the Columbus Division of Fire announced Kim Barton died unexpectedly at home.
Barton, 56, joined the fire department in 1998 and was seen as a mentor to many in the fire department, particularly other women, International Association of Firefighters Local 67 president Steve Stein said. He did not know the cause of death.
"Women like Kim were trailblazers for women in the fire service," Stein said. "It's hitting us all hard, but for the female firefighters she was close with I think it's even harder because she was such a mentor."
Barton had most recently been working in the fire prevention bureau. Funeral services have not yet been finalized.
Along with Barton's death, Columbus safety personnel also are mourning the unexpected loss of recently retired Columbus police commander Mike Gray.
Gray, 54, joined Columbus police in 1990 and retired on May 2 after 32 years in the Division. He died Friday at home after having a medical emergency.
In his obituary, Gray's family described him as being unique and driven to become an expert in anything he was doing.
'When his mind was focused on a hobby or interest, he bought all the literature, all the best tools of the trade and learned as much information on the subject as he could and within the time it took to grasp the concept, Michael was on to the next thing," his obituary said. "Rather than fickle, this speaks to Michael's inherent need to do his best, become the authority and to improve the world in which he lived."
Gray had two MBAs and taught history classes at Franklin University. He was also heavily involved with his church community and other charitable organizations like Starfish Assignment.
"He understood the necessity of the community to be connected to the officers that were there to protect them and conversely for those officers to be intimate with the needs and voices of this community," his obituary said. "To Michael, criminal justice was far from just a profession, it was who he was and it was his life."
Gray was well-loved within the Division, in part because of his reputation for pulling pranks and dry sarcasm, according to the obituary.
"As tragically brief as Michael's life was, few in this world can say that they have used their equal time as wisely, fully and selflessly as he," the obituary said.
Gray most recently had overseen one of the Division of Police's six patrol bureaus.
He is survived by his two daughters. A funeral ceremony took place Wednesday.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story inaccurately listed the surviving members of Cmdr. Mike Gray's family.
bbruner@dispatch.com
@bethany_bruner
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus safety mourning deaths of firefighter, police commander
