Death of devoted volunteer firefighter from COVID mourned in Prosser procession

People lined the streets of Prosser on Tuesday to honor Luis Lopez, a former volunteer firefighter and school bus driver, who died of COVID-19.

Lopez, 42, spent more than 12 years volunteering for the regional fire authority that serves the area around Prosser.

The city of Pasco employee more recently started volunteering with Franklin County Fire District 1 in the Connell area.

“Luis embraced the hard work that came with being a firefighter,” said West Benton Fire Rescue Chief Seth Johnson. “He always had a smile on his face, until it was time to go to work, then he was all business.”

When he wasn’t responding to fires, he was frequently seen helping with station tours, public education events, parades and he loved to dress as Santa Claus during the annual holiday tour.

“He was a very committed volunteer, spending nights away from his family to protect the community,” Johnson said.