A much-admired former Boston fire commissioner and writer on the fire service has died, the department announced.
Leo Stapleton, 93, joined the Boston Fire Department in 1951, a year after his father had been appointed chief of department, the former commissioner's website states. He rose through the ranks, becoming chief of department and fire commissioner, serving in those roles from 1984 to 1991.
"Sad to hear the passing of legendary Fire Commissioner Leo D Stapleton," current Boston Fire Commissioner John Dempsey wrote in a social media post. "He was a great leader of the Boston Fire Department."
"He was a legend in the fire service," the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation added.
Nationally, Stapleton had made a name himself as an author, writing nearly a dozen books about firefighting. He also was a member of multiple fire service committees, and he spoke about breathing gear, including being a visiting lecturer at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Longtime Boston Fire Department photographer Bill Noonan worked with Stapleton throughout his career. In fact, Stapleton wrote the captions for three of Noonan's four photography books.
"Leo was a great guy, a great boss and so good to me," Noonan told Firehouse.com. "Without him, I doubt my four firefighting photo books would ever have been published.
"I got to do just about anything," he added. "I was so lucky, and I always had the door open for me at his office."
Noonan last spoke with Stapleton in December. He had gone to Stapleton's house to photograph Boston's five living commissioners.
"He asked me I had ever taken his photo before," Noonan said. "We all laughed."
During the time they knew one another, Noonan said he was always amazed at how many people in the fire service Stapleton knew. And the former commissioner didn't hesitate to spend time with those people, too.
"He always gave everyone his attention, from the teenage kid waiting to become old enough (to be a firefighter) to the long seasoned chief," he said.
"Chief Stapleton was the real deal!" Adam Miceli wrote on Twitter. "So honored to have met him and had a true conversation with him in the early stage of my career. '30 years on the Line' still may be the best book to give a young firefighter."
Stapleton was born in South Boston in 1927, and he served in the Navy during World War II. He also had two sons who became Boston firefighters in the 1970s.
No cause of death was given by the department. Funeral arrangements are pending.
