Mike Rawlings
By J.J. KINDRED
J.Kindred@theknoxvillejournal.com
Sevierville Fire Chief Mike Rawlings died Dec. 31 of complications from a brain tumor that spread to his liver after he was diagnosed in August of last year.
Rawlings was a 40-year veteran of the department.
Local community members remembered Rawlings during a visitation that took place Jan. 2 at First Baptist Church Sevierville, where funeral services were held Jan. 3.
“This is a tremendous personal loss,” Sevierville Mayor Bryan Atchley said in a statement. “Mike and I go back a long way. We got into the volunteer fire department some 40 years ago, one month apart, and he’s been a personal friend and a great representative of the city. We’ll miss him as chief and I’ll miss him as a friend.”
Sevierville Police Department spokesperson Bob Stahlke was a long-time friend of Rawlings and said he had a positive influence on him and his career.
“I’ve known Mike since I started working for the city, so that’s been quite a while,” Stahlke said. “I think probably one of things I appreciated about him was one of first impressions I had of him, and that was was his openness and willingness to work with everybody.
“It’s such a refreshing attitude to see from anybody,” Stahlke continued. “Mike was like that, always. His heart was with the people who lived in this community. and his desire was that he serve them and do his best to keep them safe.”
