Contributed Photo
Firefighters at the Turschmann property in Ansonia Saturday.
ANSONIA — Firefighters marked the passing of one of their own Saturday.
Robert J. Turschmann, an Ansonia resident, passed away April 15 at West Haven V.A. Medical Center. He was 71.
Turschmann was a veteran of the Vietnam War, and a 51-year member of the Hotchkiss Hose Co. in Derby. He served 19 years as secretary at Hotchkiss Hose.
Firefighters arranged for a caravan of vehicles to pass by Turschmann’s house in Ansonia April 18.
Restrictions designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 have stopped wakes and memorial services.
Firefighters, wearing masks and staying six-feet apart, held a brief ceremony on Turschmann’s lawn.
“He was a stickler for procedure respect, and tradition,” said former Derby Fire Commissioner Kelly Curtis. “We could not give him the respect during his passing due to pandemic so this was the next best thing.”
The caravan was escorted by an Ansonia police car. The line included apparatus from Hotchkiss Hose, the fire chief’s vehicle, the fire marshal’s vehicle, and about 30 members.
Turschmann was a former supernumerary police officer in Ansonia and worked as a supervisor for Derby Cellular Products on Roosevelt Drive.
He is survived by his wife, Ellen. Click here for the obituary.
