Roy Prudencio loved firefighting

Nothing could keep Roy Prudencio away from the fire station. Not even cancer.

After his diagnosis last April, which came after he fell ill while responding to a call, the Eagan resident and volunteer firefighter continued to show up in uniform at the station for training or at public events to teach kids about fire safety.

"He was so dedicated to providing the best service that he could," Eagan Fire Chief Mike Scott said. "He just lived and breathed the fire department."

Prudencio died Friday. He was 50.

The Eagan Fire Department will lead a procession to Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville for a wake from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they will escort Prudencio on one last trip home to Pleasant Hill, Iowa, for his funeral.

That's where Prudencio, whose family emigrated from the Philippines, became interested in firefighting. Shortly after firefighters responded when his father had a heart attack at home, Prudencio joined the local volunteer department.

He came to the Eagan Fire Department in 2001 after he and his wife, Carol, moved to the city.

Prudencio worked full-time at U.S. Federal Credit Union and spent another 20 hours each week at Eagan's six fire stations, where he was in charge of managing equipment for the department of about 100 volunteers.

"I would see him up there on his lunch break," Scott said. "On Saturdays and Sundays, he'd be up there working equipment. Carol would be with him. They'd bring lunch, work on equipment and eat their lunch together."

When equipment needed cleaning or fixing, Prudencio did it without being asked, and he didn't expect a thank you or reward.

"Roy was that way," said Greg Nitti, a friend and fellow firefighter. "He did a big job."

And he wanted to keep doing it.

This week, the other firefighters will take care of Prudencio's gear, displaying it at his funeral. His wife will keep his helmet.