Wall of Fallen gets new name
By Katherine Weadley
(Redstone Review Newspaper)

Tow truck driver Dennis DeVeny died at age 53 in the line of duty in Longmont on April 7th. He was driving a tow truck for Blue Sky Towing of Longmont. He will be honored at the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum (ITRHFM ) in Chatanooga, Tenn. and his name will be placed on a plaque on their “Wall of the Fallen” Saturday, Sept. 20th.

This wall, according to the ITRHFM mission statement, serves to “honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to generate public awareness of the dangers involved in the towing and recovery industry and to permanently record and commemorate those involved in fatalities in the towing and recovery industry.” The wall was officially dedicated on Sept. 6, 2006. At that time 94 names were unveiled on brass nameplates. This ceremony was the first annual name unveiling and will continue to be held every year in Chattanooga on the third Saturday in September. DeVeny’s name will be on that plaque.

DeVeny was a graduate of Lyons High School and raised three children who also graduated from Lyons High School. His daughter, Missy Boone still lives in Lyons. His other two children, Tyson and Ashley DeVeny live in Wyoming, according to his sister, Deb Babler of Longmont. Babler is the Town Clerk of Lyons.

‘Died in the line of duty’ is a phrase often associated with firefighters and police. However, according to ITRHFM, the men and women of the towing industry assist the motoring public every day of the year, 24 hours a day in all types of weather and hazardous conditions. They risk their lives in everything from simply changing a tire to working complex recoveries at accident scenes. The ITRHFM calculates that upwards of 100 towing operators die in the line of duty annually.

Karen Marr is the office manager for both Tom’s American Towing and Blue Sky Towing in Longmont. She worked with DeVeny at Blue Sky Towing. “It’s a dangerous profession. Cars don’t slow down or get over anymore. Truckers even, they don’t get over. Years ago, you’d see flashing lights and you’d get over if you could. The guys are a target out there.” Marr thinks it is great that DeVeny’s name will be placed on the Wall of the Fallen. “He passed away doing what he loved to do. Any of the guys I work with would deserve it. He is greatly missed and always will be,” she said.

Dennis DeVeny was Deb Babler’s little brother. She says that DeVeny was driving a tow truck behind a tourist bus on April 7th in Longmont when luggage began spilling out of the compartments. “He wanted to help because that’s who he was. He was a nice guy,” she said. DeVeny flagged down the bus driver and they pulled over to the side of the road. “Dennis had a heart attack right there in the tow truck on the side of the road and died,” said Babler. “He had been a tow truck driver off and on his whole life and he really enjoyed it,” Babler said. “He died trying to help others.”