Surgoinsville Assistant Fire Chief Denny Steele joined the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Monday to name Surgoinsville Fire Station No. 1 after longtime chief Murlice Carpenter.
Carpenter’s family was present to accept a plaque commemorating the resolution prior to the beginning of Monday’s BMA meeting.
Carpenter was a lifelong Hawkins County resident who served as Surgoinsville Fire Chief for 36 years. He is remembered as a level-headed leader who devoted his time to many local organizations that helped the county and town.
Mayor Merrell Graham said the honor was long overdue for a good person who spent their life serving the community. The station dedication was originally planned by the Fire Department to ensure that Chief Carpenter would always be remembered in the town of Surgoinsville.
‘A unit that people envied’
Chief Murlice Carpenter passed away in 2020 after a lifetime of serving the community he lived in.
In addition to serving as Surgoinsville’s longest-running Fire Chief, he was also a member of the Jericho Shrine Temple for 40 years, hosting parades and working annual spring events, served as President of the Fireman’s Association, a Charter Member of Hawkins County Rescue Squad, and sat on the Board of Directors for Hawkins County 911.
In his time as Chief, Carpenter oversaw the Department growing to its largest size with 25 active volunteers. He was also responsible for the department’s community outreach efforts, such as a highly anticipated ice cream supper which was attended by residents from many surrounding towns each year.
Mayor Graham recalled, “It was an excellent Fire Department for a small town and they worked hard. I think all of that was because of (Carpenter). It was a unit that people envied.”
Mayor Graham said Carpenter was a well-respected resident and was held in the highest regard by most community members.
“There was nobody who had anything to do with Surgoinsville that didn’t like him,” Mayor Graham stated.
Mayor Graham added, “He was an easy-going person. You can sit around with a group and discuss various subjects, politics, and it can get out of hand. (Carpenter) would never let himself get involved with that. He was always very calm… would never get upset… I learned that from him at a very early age.”
‘He sure deserved it’
Mayor Graham said Carpenter’s tradition of creating a thriving fire department has carried on to this day under the direction of Chief Shane Suthers and Assistant Chief Steele. Mayor Graham said he was thrilled with the work being done by the Surgoinsville Fire Department.
“(Carpenter’s ethics) has a lot to do with how the unit is doing now, and they’re doing very good,” Mayor Graham said. “I’m very proud. We have a darn good Fire Department now.”
A second plaque will be placed at the front of Fire Station No. 1 commemorating the station being named in Chief Carpenter’s honor.
The resolution to give Carpenter this honor was passed with a unanimous vote by the BMA and Mayor Graham later said that he was very excited to have been involved with the decision.
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