A man who dedicated most of his life to serving the London and Laurel County community died on Wednesday because of complications related to the novel coronavirus.

Ruben “R.C.” Curtis Walker began his career in the funeral service when he was 16 years old and was a funeral director until 1989. During his lifetime he served as the Laurel County coroner for eight years and Laurel County jailer for four years.

Walker also served in the U.S. Army Kentucky National Guard for eight years, and in 1958, he joined the London Fire Dept. as a volunteer firefighter.

He is known today as one of the “founding fathers” of the Laurel County Fire Department. He served several years as chief. Walker was also heavily involved with the London-Laurel County Rescue Squad, at one point serving as deputy chief.

Tony Brown, Laurel County Clerk, says he grew up knowing RC.

“London at that time was a really small town and pretty much everyone knew everyone," said Brown. “He was always concerned about the community and making the community better and making it a better world for everybody."

Walker leaves behind four children, two of which are also public servants.

“He impacted so many lives in so many different ways. I don’t know if you could even begin to know what he had done,” his son Steve Walker said, adding, “He volunteered all his life for the community and that was just his nature, he didn’t think twice about it.”

Walker also leaves behind nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.