Paying tribute to retired Biloxi Fire Department Mechanic Sammy Handler

Sixty-two year-old Sammy Handler passed away last Thursday.

He was a longtime Biloxi Fire Museum supporter and retired fire department mechanic.

- longtime biloxi fire museum - supporter and retired fire- department mechanic sammy - handler passed away last- thursday.

- he was 62 years old.- news 25's lorraine weiskopf was- at his visitation - today and brings us more.

- - sammy handler also known as - "sammy" passed away suddenl last thursday.

He was a proud - board member of the west end- - - - hose company #3 fire museum.

He- had an affinity for fire trucks- -- owning them and telling the- history of them.- biloxi fire chief joe boney - placed a black wreath on the- front of- the museum in honor of his dear- friend.

- chief joe boney: biloxi fire- department: "we got to be good fiends.

- he's just a great guy and a lot- of people knew that.

He's just- one of those people - - - - that you had to like."

Handler and boney both grew up- in the biloxi back bay and- while they both worked differen- - - - positions in the fire - department, chief boney looked- up to his friend.

- tuesday there was a visitation- and mass held for sammy at the- blessed seelos catholic church.- outside of the church sat an- antique mechanic truck with a - black wreath hanging on it.

- chief boney: biloxi fire- department: "he had health issu but - we never thought he would be- taken this soon, it's a loss, - and were all just trying to - deal with that loss.- he was a strong supporter of th- - - - biloxi fire department, spendin- whatever time he could checking- in on his fellow- firefighters.

- chief boney: biloxi fire- department: "he loved his community,- he loved his family, he was a - big supporters of police and- - - - firefighters across the city."

At the visitation loved ones, - city officials, fellow- friefighters, and - locals from all around the- community gathered- together to pay tribute to the- passing of a man who some would- say dedicated his life to civil- service.

In biloxi, lorraine-