Henry Bettenhausen, Retired Deputy Assistant Fire Chief, Dies

TINLEY PARK, IL — Henry Bettenhausen, one of the first firefighters to joing the Tinley Park Fire Department, has died. Bettenhausen, who rose through the ranks to the position of deputy assistant chief, spent 30 years with the fire department and was also involved locally as the president of the Chamber of Commerce.

The Tinley Park Fire Department announced Bettenhausen's death this week.

The fire department shared a particular memory of Bettenhausen that came during a fire at the Tinley Park Mental Health Center in 1976. The assistant deputy chief received a commendation letter for his rescue actions on January 9 of that year for his “quick action with minimum help from the staff of the Center resulted in the flawless evacuation and transfer of the patients to an adjoining, but secure, building.”

In addition to his work with the fire department and chamber, Bettenhausen was also involved on the board of directors of Bremen Bank, was a Master Mason and a member of both the Scottish Rite and the Shrine.

A service is expected to take place at a later date.