J. Edward Grahe, a retired accountant whose passion was chasing fire engines, died Monday of lung cancer at St. Joseph Medical Center. The Parkville resident was 63.
Born and reared in South Baltimore, he was descended from firefighters on both sides of his family -- his father and a brother were firefighters -- and he indulged his passion for firefighting as a member for 30 years of the Box 414 Association of fire buffs.
He had been president of the group and drove its coffee wagon from which sandwiches, coffee and other snacks were served to firefighters at multiple-alarm fires.
The group takes its name from the street box from which an alarm was called in during the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904.
"I've known Ed for over 30 years and he was a low-key and down-to-earth fellow who dedicated his life to our coffee wagon," said Roman A. Kaminski, past president of the group and currently executive vice president of the International Fire Buff Associates.
"He'd do a lot of the night-shift work between midnight and 6 a.m., and his sole aim was to help out his fellow firefighters who were on the fire ground," Mr. Kaminski said.
Alex Katzenberg, current president of Box 414, said Mr. Grahe "could always be counted on to help out. He was a wonderful guy who will also be remembered for his dry sense of humor. He was really something."
Charles E. Ashley, a club member who lives in Hampstead, said "his death leaves a real void in our club. As one of our primary drivers, he was always available to take out our coffee wagon in the dead of the night."
According to Mr. Grahe's mother, Ruth N. Clark Grahe of Parkville, his lifelong interest in firemen and firefighting began as a youngster when he would ride his bicycle to No. 6 Truck at Hanover and Ostend streets and hang around the station. He also worked for many years helping firemen at No. 45 Engine at Glen Avenue and Cross Country Boulevard, build their annual Christmas garden.
"The basement of his house is like a museum," a niece, Linda Dickinson of Parkville, said. "He built models of fire equipment and collected fire memorabilia. He must have at least 100 models down there."
He enjoyed traveling and "especially visiting firehouses all over the U.S. and Canada," she said.
"He had the scanner on all the time and he loved going to fires with his nephew. It was just in his blood and he found it very exciting," Mrs. Dickinson said.
Mr. Grahe was appointed by then-Mayor William Donald Schaefer to the committee that established the Baltimore City Fire Museum, located in the old No. 6 Engine House at Gay and Ensor streets. He was museum chief of staff from 1979 to 1989.
He was a graduate of Southern High School and earned a bachelor's degree at Loyola College. He was an accountant for the Western Electric Co. for 30 years, retiring in 1984.
Services were set for 10 a.m. today at the Leonard J. Ruck Funeral Home, Harford Road and Echodale Avenue, Baltimore.
His brother, James Grahe, was killed in 1967 when an automobile collided with the fire engine in which he was riding.
Other survivors include a sister, June Rictor of Parkville; and several nephews and nieces.
Memorial donations may be made to the Box 414 Association, 414 N. Gay St., Baltimore 21202.