The firefighter family of Monroe County and across the State of New York lost a powerful individual with state legislation when Immediate Past President Kenneth B. Preston, 78, passed on June 7, 2023.

A rapidly spreading cancer took my brother's life in just 13 weeks, breaking the hearts of state association colleagues and his North Greece Fire District and Department brothers and sisters where he was in his 61st year of active service. Past president and director of the Department and a 32-year District board member as a fire commissioner, are just a few of the positions held in his fire service legacy. In later years, when Ken could no longer perform as an interior firefighter, he served as NGFD Fire Police Squad Captain and member of VFPASNY.

He had just completed his 6-years of leadership as VP and President of the Association of Fire Districts for the State of New York. How ironic that much of his successful effort in that position was the passing of the Firefighter Cancer Bill. Ken prided himself in constantly traveling around the state, networking at meetings, seminars and holding in-person conferences. 

A Mass of Christian Burial took place on June 14th at Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church with celebrants Father William Coffas and Father William Michatek. The casket was escorted from church by North Greece FD personnel as pallbearers and bagpipers led by District Chief Sam DeRosa. A huge rainy day procession of family, apparatus, firefighters, volunteer and career, led by command officers on a final drive past Headquarters Station and Station 1 where Ken served for more than six decades as on-duty crews stood saluting our front with lighted apparatus. Burial was at Parma Union Cemetery followed by a reception at NGFD Fireman's Field Pavilion.