Donor pays for funerals of fallen Keokuk firefighters

An anonymous donor has given checks to the widows of three Keokuk firemen to pay for the funerals. After a hotly-debated city council decision NOT to pick up the 20-thousand dollar tab, the donor came quietly forward Thursday. Keokuk Fire Chief Mark Wessel says he’s relieved the financial issue is now resolved.The three firemen were killed battling a housefire three days before Christmas as they tried to rescue three children — who also died. The city council later voted -not- to pay for the funerals, fearing it would set an expensive precident for the taxpayers. Chief Wessel would -not- say whether he supported that decision.One of the widows was quoted as saying it wasn’t about the money, but the city doing “the morally right thing for the men who died” trying to save lives. Wessel says his department has grown and learned many things in the aftermath of the December 22nd fire.The anonymous donor Thursday gave three checks, each for seven-thousand dollars, to the widows of firemen Dave McNally, Nate Tuck & Jason Bitting.