The Worthington Times

Coal City Volunteer Firefighter Dennise Leslie of Freedom, Indiana, was killed in the line of duty last Monday, July 2 on Stockton Road in Owen County while responding to a call.  She was 40 years old and had two children, one still at home.  She died as a result of a single vehicle crash just northeast of the Coal City Fire Station.

From a report in The Clay City News:

Mrs. Leslie was a veteran firefighter who had always ridden "shotgun" on the fire runs with her husband, Robert, also a Coal City firefighter.  But this time was different.  The 4:30 p.m. call to a field fire on Egenolf Road cane at a time when Mrs. Leslie knew, due to the time of day, very few firefighters would be available.  With her turn-out gear on board, she left her home and turned west on Stockton Road which provided her the shortest, most direct route to the fire station in Coal City.  Mrs. Leslie's 14-year-old son, Christopher Kennedy, remained at home and when his father arrived home a few moments later, he told him she had already left.  Robert followed his wife's route and was the first person on the scene where her Ford Ranger pickup left the road and crashed into a large tree.  She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Due to the number of friends and firefighters expected to attend services for Mrs. Leslie, the memorial service was scheduled for 10:00 a.m. today, Saturday, at the Owen Valley School.  The place of burial will be Coal City. 

Following the service, a funeral procession will travel south on State Road 67 to Worthington and then take State Road 157 north to Coal City. 

The exact time this procession will come through Worthington is not known. 

Mrs. Leslie has been included in the Times Obituaries.