The Roanoke Rapids police and fire departments have mapped out the route for the funeral procession for Kevin Hawkins, the city battalion chief who succumbed to his battle with mantle cell lymphoma Tuesday.
The funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Valley Community Church in Weldon.
Police Chief Bobby Martin said in a statement, “We want to make the public aware of this activity so that everyone can travel safely around the city during these times.”
He also said he hopes the public being made aware of the route “helps everyone with safe travels during the hours of 11 a.m. through noon.”
The procession will begin at Valley and will travel along Julian R. Allsbrook Highway to Old Farm Road where it will head east to Seventh Street and then Roanoke Avenue.
The procession will pause at Fire Station 1 before heading north to Fifth Street and then to Kemp Avenue. From Kemp the procession heads to Cedarwood Cemetery.
Fire Chief Jason Patrick said the services for Hawkins would be a full firefighter funeral with his casket being placed in the hose bed of one of the department’s trucks. Firefighters have already removed the hoses from the bed.
Firefighters from across the area will participate in the procession, Patrick said.