Lennoxville honours its firefighting family with permanent tribute
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
A crowd of current and former firefighters, family members, local dignitaries, and residents gathered outside the Lennoxville Borough Office on Saturday, May 3, to witness the unveiling of a long-anticipated monument dedicated to the town’s volunteer firefighters. The granite sculpture, designed by Brian Wilson and fabricated by Rock of Ages in Stanstead, now stands as a permanent tribute to generations of Lennoxville residents who served their community from 1883 until 2019.
The monument honours not only emergency responders but the heart of a community that built its safety network through sweat and service. “This monument pays tribute to the volunteer firefighters of Lennoxville, who served their community with exemplary generosity,” said Sherbrooke Mayor Évelyne Beaudin during the ceremony. “For decades, they answered the call—sometimes at the peril of their lives—to protect others.”
Borough President Claude Charron praised the enduring community spirit of Lennoxville’s volunteers. “They were builders of the community,” he said. “Always present at celebrations and local activities, they forged genuine and lasting bonds.” Charron also acknowledged the many individuals who helped bring the monument project to life, including former borough director André Blais and former firefighter George Beaulieu, who played a key role in gathering names for the memorial.
One of the most moving speeches came from former Lennoxville firefighter Scott Passmore, who now serves full-time with Sherbrooke’s Station 6. Passmore, whose career began in Lennoxville nearly 30 years ago, reflected on the history and camaraderie of the department. “Some members stayed a few years, others stayed for decades,” he said. “The dedication was unmatched anywhere.”
Passmore noted the department’s deep roots, starting around 1883 with horse-drawn equipment and buckets, housed in the basement of Lennoxville’s town hall. That equipment evolved, but the volunteer spirit remained constant until 2019, when volunteers were replaced by full-time firefighters. “Monday, May 27, 2019 was a sad day here in town,” he said. “The level of dedication of the guys that stayed until the end never wavered.”
The ceremony was also personal for many in the crowd, including Lynne Beattie, widow of longtime firefighter Terry Beattie, who was closely involved in the early planning for the monument before his passing. Terry was a fixture in the Lennoxville fire department for over four decades and remained active until the very end. “He loved every minute of it,” Lynne said in an interview after the event. “It was years of dedication.”
Lynne recounted how Terry would leap into action the moment his pager went off, often with his gear already laid out by the bed. “Sometimes we’d be out with the kids, and that beeper would go off—and boom, we’d get a ride like you wouldn’t believe,” she said with a smile. “He’d have to be there, for all of them.”
The fire department was more than just a workplace for Terry—it was a family. “They were very close,” Lynne said. “It had to be part of our life, or it wouldn’t have worked out, because they were dedicated to the bone.”
Lynne fondly remembered community events where Terry and other volunteers ran barbecues and made fries. Even after his retirement, Terry remained connected to Lennoxville, although stepping away left a void. “When he retired, it was a big, big emptiness for him,” she said.
Passmore also acknowledged the sacrifices made by the families of firefighters. “The time it took away from our families was immense,” he said. “But thank you very much.” He emphasized the collective effort that brought the monument to fruition, thanking everyone from city staff to fellow committee members.
The monument itself is etched with the names of firefighters going back as far as records allowed. However, some names were likely missed due to incomplete archives. The Lennoxville Volunteer Firefighters Association is still accepting submissions from families to add names in future updates.
To close the event, longtime firefighter George Martel, who joined the department in the 1960s and served for more than 40 years, was invited to unveil the monument. The sculpture, adorned with detailed sandblasting and built to endure generations, was revealed to applause and quiet reflection.
Following the unveiling, attendees walked together to the reception hall for coffee, donuts, and conversation. There, the stories continued—of camaraderie, dedication, and the fire calls that once echoed through the town.
The monument now stands as a visible reminder of that spirit, a permanent fixture on Queen Street that honours those who put their lives on the line, often with no expectation of recognition. “This monument is your legacy,” said Mayor Beaudin. “Let it be a source of inspiration for generations to come.”
