A man who was a Columbus institution has passed away.

Lieutenant Stevens, best known for his world-famous scrambled dogs at Dinglewood Pharmacy, died during a medical treatment Wednesday afternoon, Dinglewood Pharmacy owner and close friend Terry Hurley told WRBL.

Lieutenant, as he was affectionately known, worked at the pharmacy for 74 years. He has been serving the scrambled dog since the end of World War II.

Lieutenant was 87. Arrangements are incomplete.

When asked what Lieutenant meant to him, Hurley paused for a few seconds.

“Probably the same thing he meant to you and everybody else in town,” Hurley said. “He was a good friend to me, my business and my family. He was the best friend you could ever ask for.”

Lieutenant had a stroke about six weeks ago.

“That began the downward tumble,” Hurley said. “I saw him yesterday and visited with him for about an hour. He was doing much better. …. He was laughing and talking about going home. I had every reason to believe that would happen.”

Thousands of people have eaten the Lieutenant’s scrambled dog. It is a cut up hot dog wiener served in a dish with chili, pickles, onions, oyster crackers, and cheese. Lieutenant’s name is forever linked to the scrambled dog, which he didn’t invent but he perfected Hurley said.

“That’s a legacy he’s proud of,” Hurley said. “If Lieutenant had met you more than once or twice, he would remember you and nine times out of 10 he would know how you liked your hotdog.”

His customers became his friends, Hurley said.

“He would know something about you,” Hurley said. “And if you were from Columbus, he knew your forebearers. He could tell you things about your family that you probably didn’t even know.”