(Greensburg, IN) – Not one, not two, but three.
The Greensburg Optimist Club hit the trifecta when they presented the 2025 Firefighter of the Year award to Steve, Ken and Dave Stone with the Marion Township (Millhousen) Fire Department during the club’s Thursday morning breakfast meeting held at Greensburg Fire Department Station One on Barachel Lane.
The brothers were recruited for the fire service straight out of high school by their father Bill Stone, who was one of the founding members of the Marion Township Fire Department.
Steve Stone started in 1973, while brothers Ken and Dave joined in 1975.
That’s 52 and 50 years, respectively, if you’re keeping track.
Steve Stone was an aeronautics technician and served as Chief with the department.
Ken and Dave Stone were both union carpenters and worked at Bruns-Gutzwiller.
Dave Stone served as Captain with the department later in his career.
In addition to their longevity with the fire department, the brothers tackled many projects around the firehouse and are known in Millhousen for their community involvement.
They have worked on items that needed to be tended to at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and School, poured concrete grave markers the local cemetery, built dugouts at the town’s ballfield, among many projects.
The Optimist Club also presented $200 checks to both the Marion Township and Greensburg fire departments – the latter in appreciation for hosting the meeting and cooking Thursday’s breakfast.
The late Merrill Smith and retired Greensburg Assistant Fire Chief Brian Wenning started the Greensburg Optimist Club Firefighter of the Year program in 1996 to honor a Decatur County firefighter each year for their public service, dedication and spirit of optimism.
Past recipients are listed below:
- 1996 Don Minning, Greensburg
- 1997 Carl Geis, Clarksburg
- 1998 Ken Ramer, Greensburg
- 1999 Brian Wenning, Greensburg
- 2000 David Israel, Burney
- 2001 All Decatur County Fire Chiefs/Firefighters
- 2002 Mike Gasper, Westport
- 2003 Rand Hooten, Burney
- 2004 Scott Chasteen, Greensburg
- 2005 Bert Baltus (posthumously), Letts
- 2006 Bill Smith, Clarksburg
- 2007 Gary Wolford, New Point
- 2008 Andy Witkemper, Millhousen
- 2009 Jay Mattox, Westport
- 2010 Rick Bullard, St. Paul
- 2011 All Decatur County Fire Chiefs/Firefighters
- 2012 Rick Emsweller, Greensburg
- 2013 Brad Speer, Clarksburg
- 2014 Steve Garrett, Greensburg
- 2015 Randy Carson, Westport
- 2016 Carl Geis, Clarksburg
- 2017 Byron Baltus, Letts
- 2018 Rick Johnson, Clarksburg
- 2019 Randy & Marilyn Hoeing, Greensburg
- 2020 Matt Stone, Millhousen
- 2021 All Decatur County Fire Chiefs/Firefighters
- 2022 Chris Springmeyer, Greensburg
- 2023 Curtis Lewis, Greensburg
- 2024 Calvin Venable, Letts
