Hearts were heavy across the Wichita firefighter community on Wednesday as news of the death of one of their own began to settle in.
Collis Grisby, a graduate of Northwest High School and a longtime member of the Wichita Fire Department, died unexpectedly this week, according to the department.
According to several of his colleagues, Grisby, 53, was not only a fearless and selfless firefighter, he was also one of the most popular people in the department.
“He was always a welcoming person and he always had a smile on his face,” said Stuart Bevis, a battalion chief with the department. “I never heard a bad word about him. He will certainly be missed.”
At Franklin’s Barber & Beauty Shop on North Hillside on Wednesday, owner Troy Franklin reminisced about Grisby, who had been a customer at the shop for about two decades.
Franklin is also a member of the fire department.