The Estevan community is mourning the loss of a longtime resident.

Former firefighter Larry Pangborn died last Friday. He was 74-years-old.

Pangborn's firefighting career spanned more than 40 years, first in Lampman and then with the Estevan Fire Department. He also worked for the Credit Union in Estevan.

"He was just an amazing individual," said Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser. "One of my mentors. One of those guys that you just really looked up to. You watched how he did business, he was always calm, cool, collected, mild mannered. That million dollar smile he always had on his face. Just somebody that you wanted to mold yourself into."

Pangborn was also a member of the Rotary Club of Estevan here in town.

"A lot of people don't fully understand the level of commitment that is involved when you become a paid, on-call firefighter," Feser said. You give up a lot of family time, you give up a lot of personal time. So for him to be able to do that for 40 years, and still be able to dedicate his time to other areas of the city such as the Rotary Club, he was a huge rotarian, very much supported that organization. You can just imagine, he probably felt pulled in about 10 different directions, but every day he got up and did it with a smile."

Feser added that he could always count on Pangborn.

"There's no better guy to ever be around," he said. "Whenever there was troubles or you needed a little guidance, he was always the man to go to. And he was always willing to lend that ear or a shoulder to lean."

"It doesn't get any better than Larry."

Funeral arrangements will be annouced at a later date.

You can read his full obituary here.