Eugene H. 'Dick' Barcus, one of city's 1st firefighters
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Eugene H. 'Dick' Barcus, 86, a member of the first paid fire department in Wilmington, died Monday in Wilmington Hospital.

Mr. Barcus was among the first paid firemen when the Wilmington Fire Department was formed in 1921. He served on the department for 21 years, retiring as a deputy chief in 1942.

After that he was fire chief of the Du Pont Co.'s Grasselli (N.J.) plant for a number of years. He later transferred to Wilmington and became supervisor of safety and fire protection for the company's office building division, and retired in 1965.

He was appointed as a commissioner of the Wilmington Housing Authority by former mayor John E. Babiarz and served on the commission from 1966 to 1972.

He was a Navy veteran of World War I. He was a member of Washington Lodge I, AF&AM, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was past commander of American Legion Post I.

His wife, Catherine C. Barcus, died in July. He is survived by two brothers, Charles of Wilmington and George of Philadelphia.

Services will be at noon Friday in McCrery Memorial Funeral Home 3924 Concord Pike, where friends may call after 11 a.m. Burial will be in Riverview Cemetery, 32nd and Marsket streets.

Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Jeanne Jugan Residence, 135 Salem Church Road, Newark, Del. 19713.

(The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 22 Oct 1986 (Wednesday))

Eugene H. 'Dick' Barcus, one of city's 1st firefighters
----------
Eugene H. 'Dick' Barcus, 86, a member of the first paid fire department in Wilmington, died Monday in Wilmington Hospital.

Mr. Barcus was among the first paid firemen when the Wilmington Fire Department was formed in 1921. He served on the department for 21 years, retiring as a deputy chief in 1942.

After that he was fire chief of the Du Pont Co.'s Grasselli (N.J.) plant for a number of years. He later transferred to Wilmington and became supervisor of safety and fire protection for the company's office building division, and retired in 1965.

He was appointed as a commissioner of the Wilmington Housing Authority by former mayor John E. Babiarz and served on the commission from 1966 to 1972.

He was a Navy veteran of World War I. He was a member of Washington Lodge I, AF&AM, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was past commander of American Legion Post I.

His wife, Catherine C. Barcus, died in July. He is survived by two brothers, Charles of Wilmington and George of Philadelphia.

Services will be at noon Friday in McCrery Memorial Funeral Home 3924 Concord Pike, where friends may call after 11 a.m. Burial will be in Riverview Cemetery, 32nd and Marsket streets.

Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Jeanne Jugan Residence, 135 Salem Church Road, Newark, Del. 19713.

(The News Journal, Wilmington, DE, 22 Oct 1986 (Wednesday))