Funeral Planned May 13 for Westland Firefighter

A funeral for Westland firefighter Brian Woehlke will be held at 11 a.m. at Divine Child Church in Dearborn on May 13.

Woehlke, 29, of Dearborn died while battling a fire at a strip mall in Westland on March 8.

A viewing will be held at the Harry J. Will Funeral Home, 34567 Michigan Ave., in Wayne. The viewing will be open to the public on Saturday, May 11 from 4 to 9 p.m. There will be a formal firefighter walk thru at 6 p.m.

A second viewing will take place on May 12 from 2 to 9 p.m.

The funeral will take place at 11 a.m. at Divine Child Church, 25001 Herbert Weier Drive. Uniformed officers wishing to participate in the funeral services should begin staging at the church at 9:30 a.m.

A procession will follow to St. Hedwigs Cemetery, 23755 Military, Dearborn Heights. A ceremony with Color Guard services will take place at the cemetery.

Woehlke was a husband and father. He had been a member of the Westland-Wayne Fire Department for 10 months, and he is the first firefighter to die in the line of duty in the department’s 47-year history.

A fund has been established for the Woehlke family. Donations can be mailed to the Westland Firefighters Charity, PO Box 851320, Westland, MI. 48185.