Retired Capt. Davis J. Love (L30C) passed away Monday January 25, 2010

Retired Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Capt. Davis J. Love, a member of the city's - and the nation's - first municipal fire department-based hazardous materials team, died of cancer Jan. 25 at Baptist Medical Center. He was 66.

There was a memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday February 06, 2010 at North Jacksonville Baptist Church, 8531 N. Main St., followed by a reception at the Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters Hall, 618 Stockton St. Memorialization was by cremation.

The Jacksonville native graduated from Ribault High School and joined the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department in 1969 during the department's expansion into the formerly unincorporated areas of the county that had been served by volunteer firefighters.

In 1977, Capt. Love was one of the original members of the city's first hazardous materials team organized to deal with potential disasters.

He was among 10 firefighters and 24 civilians sent to hospitals for treatment after a tank car in the Biltmore area began leaking lethal hydrogen chloride gas in 1978, but not before helping to rescue two of his colleagues.

Retired Battalion Chief Phill Eddins, also an original hazmat member, said Capt. Love went to rescue co-member Terry Dennis who was on the end of the leaking tank car.

"Davis had no protective suit on, but he still rescued Terry at considerable peril to himself," Eddins said. "Then I was still up on the tank car and ran out of air in my tank, but Davis came up and helped get me off the tank car."

He really loved his job, said his wife of 38 years, Karen Love. When he retired after 35 years of service in February 2004, he was captain of Ladder 30 at Regency Square.

He also served in the Navy Reserve for 24? years and had a small residential floor-covering business.

"Davis had a great attitude," said John Keane, president of the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund. "He was always happy and willing to help anyone. Mechanically, he could fix anything."

In addition to his wife, Capt. Love is survived by three daughters, Carey Godwin, Debbie Kerr and Leslie Seng; a son, Davis C. Love, all of Jacksonville; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Renee Lyles of Orange Beach, Ala., and Paula Barlow of Jacksonville; and a brother, Douglas Love of Middleburg.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Wolfson Children's Hospital, Suite 1300, 841 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32207, where a grandson, Cayden Seng, is receiving treatment for a childhood cancer.

The information above written by Jessie-Lynne.Kerr of the Florida Times Union.

The picture below was taken June 26, 2009 at a fund raiser for his grandson Caden.

Davis is holding Caden in the picture.

The following pictures were taken by Wayne Doolittle. There are quite a number of pictures and it may take a while to load.