MOUNT PLEASANT — A firefighter who dedicated 35 years of his life to serving the Mount Pleasant community was honored with a procession Friday following his unexpected death earlier this month.
Robert Berens, 60, died unexpectedly Feb. 14 following a medical emergency, according to the South Shore Fire Department.
A service was held Friday at Grace Church, where first responders from around the area joined his family and residents to pay their respects. A procession made up of dozens of vehicles, including units from multiple fire departments across southeastern Wisconsin, accompanied Berens through Mount Pleasant to West Lawn Memorial Park, where a burial was held with fire department honors.
Despite the cold winter weather, community members like Trudy Schatzman watched the procession to show their support for Berens and the firefighting community.
"I feel it's very important to pay back to the community all that they give back to us," Schatzman said.
Schatzman has a personal connection to the fire service — her grandson recently became a member of the South Shore Fire Department.
In a statement, South Shore Fire Department Chief Dustin Ellis said "Bob lived his life with tenacity and unmatched determination."
Berens served on the department's Technical Rescue Team, the Racine County HAZMAT Team, and assisted with Community Risk Reduction education events.
Berens is being remembered as a devoted family man and friend to many. He is survived by his wife, son, two daughters and stepson, as well as multiple grandchildren and siblings.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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