Fire department and city officials are praising the contributions of former Santa Fe Fire Chief and City Manager Frank DiLuzio Jr., who passed away earlier this month.

DiLuzio served over 20 years at the department, beginning in 1979, according to a recent Santa Fe Fire Department Facebook post. He leaves a legacy for all of Santa Fe, touching many lives with his contributions to the community, Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber said in a June 3 post on Facebook.

“He will be missed, but his legacy of public service will live on in our community,” Webber said. “Our hearts go out to his family and friends even as we celebrate his life.”

Employees of Accent Fire Engineering Int'l. Ltd described DiLuzio as their “Friend and Colleague” in his obituary in the Santa Fe New Mexican.

“A highly respected professional fire official and gentleman of the first order, Frank was the definition of a Santa Fe living treasure,” the obit read. “One of the best fire chiefs in the distinguished history of the Santa Fe Fire Department, a dedicated public servant with a keen intellect, fair-but-firm attitude, generous, progressive, honest to a fault, highly ethical and a people person. We thank Frank for his exemplary service to our community and may he rest in peace.”

The Agua Fria Volunteer Fire District, located in west-central Santa Fe County, notes DiLuzio's contributions to that organization on its website.

“In late summer of 1991, a group of eight residents formed the Agua Fria Fire & Rescue Department,” the website states. “They operated the first year with no funding or equipment other than donations. SFFD Chief Frank DiLuzio gave Agua Fria a 1974 American LaFrance fire truck.”

District 4 Santa Fe City Councilor JoAnne Vigil Coppler commented on the Santa Fe Fire Department’s June 2 Facebook post by saying she was saddened to hear of DiLuzio’s death.

“He was a great fire chief and a good man,” Coppler wrote.