Former Copperas Cove Deputy Fire Chief remembered by family, friends, community

By LYNETTE SOWELL-STEVENS

Cove Leader-Press

Retired Copperas Cove Deputy Fire Chief Michael “Mike” Fleming passed away on June 18, at the age of 61, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Fleming served 34 years with the Copperas Cove Fire Department, starting as a dispatcher in 1985, and was promoted to Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Marshal in 2012. He retired in 2019.

On June 26, a procession was held on June 26. It traveled into Copperas Cove from F.M. 2657, past Fire Station 3 on West Business 190, and then onto Main Street where it passed in front of the Central Fire Station.

On the vacant lot at the corner of Main Street and Robertson Avenue, a large American flag was suspended between two trucks.

Firefighters and others stood at attention in front of Central Fire Station, and across the street, another American flag hung suspended from one of the department’s ladder trucks. The procession concluded at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home.

Then on Monday, June 29, a celebration of life service was held at Lea Ledger Auditorium at Copperas Cove High School, where he was honored and remembered by his family, the fire department, and community.

Påastor Russ Cochran, fire chaplain, opened the service, and Dr. Ron Johnson and Retired Fire Chief Gary Young made remarks about Fleming.

Mike Mayfield, who formerly served with the Copperas Cove Fire Department with Fleming, came down from Archer City, Texas for the service. Mayfield played the keyboard and sang “I Can Only Imagine”, and a memorial slideshow was played.

Cochran also read a message from Fleming’s daughters, Chief Douglas Matthijetz read a Fire Service Tribute, and Deputy Chief Stephen Clendenen read the Firefighter’s Prayer.