William H. Falkenhan Sr., a retired Baltimore County firefighter and decorated World War II veteran, died Jan. 11 of complications from Alzheimer's disease at his Dundalk home.
He was 91.
Mr. Falkenhan was born and raised in East Baltimore. He was a vocational school graduate.
During World War II, he served with an Army infantry unit in Europe, where he earned two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star.
From 1954 until his retirement in 1984, Mr. Falkenhan was a Baltimore County firefighter and spent the bulk of his career assigned to the Dundalk fire station.
"Being a firefighter was the only thing he ever wanted to do in life," said his wife of 70 years, the former Mary Catherine Finn.
He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans, Baltimore County Firefighters Union 1311 and the Baltimore County Retired Officers and Firefighters Association.
Mr. Falkenhan was a longtime active communicant of St. Rita Roman Catholic Church in Dundalk. In 1983, the church's then-pastor, the Rev. Mark J. Logue, asked Mr. Falkenhan, his wife and daughter, to establish an outreach program for the community's hungry.
They established St. Rita's Table, which over the decades has fed thousands at their weekly Monday evening dinner. Mr. Falkenhan's daughter continues to head the program.
"His life was one of service. He served his country, county and community," said Tom Toporovich, former secretary to the Baltimore County Council and Dundalk activist. "He was one of Dundalk's great unsung heroes."
Mr. Falkenhan was an accomplished woodworker.
A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Saturday at his church, Dunglow Road and Dunmanway, Dundalk.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Falkenhan is survived by a son, William H. Falkenhan Jr. of Perry Hall; a daughter, Mary Catherine Haines of Dundalk; two brothers, Casper Falkenhan of Essex and Francis J. Falkenhan of Hampden; a sister, Alice Dunlap of Hampden; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A nephew, Mark G. Falkenhan, who was a Baltimore County volunteer firefighter, was killed Wednesday while combating a fire in Hillendale.