CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. — A Northern Kentucky community is mourning the loss of their retired fire chief.

Terry Allen passed away on April 5, but the coronavirus pandemic has put a pause on many memorial services.

“Dad was a guy that never met a stranger,” said Bill Allen, his son. “He passed of cancer and he fought a long battle for about a year and April 5th of this year he passed away.”

Bill said it’s still all very fresh.

“Seems like it was yesterday. It’s been kind of difficult during that time cause when he was in the hospital we weren’t able to go and see him and but towards the end, you know, we were able to bring him home and spend some quality time and be there for him,” Bill said.

The senior Allen died at 64. He was a career firefighter. He started with the City of Elsmere and later moved to Erlanger, working himself through the ranks and becoming chief.

After retirement, Terry worked as a special deputy with the Kenton County Sheriff’s Department in the Search & Rescue K-9s office as well as a security guard at a local hospital. 

But the virus has made it difficult to honor his life.

“We haven't been able to have proper service that dad deserves. Once everything settled down we can get to that point we’ll have a service where a lot of his friends and family members and members of the fire service come to pay their respects and last goodbyes to him,” Bill said.

While there's a pause on in-person gatherings, the Northern Kentucky Firefighters Association got creative. They held a night of remembrance.

“By doing that 2-minute memorial to them with flashing lights and honking of two air horns was very deserving to the members who’ve gone and passed,” Bill said.

The family said they are hoping to have a remembrance service at the end of this month or early June.