Former Prospect Heights fire chief, father of current chief, dies at 88

Former Prospect Heights Fire Protection District Chief Donald Gould Sr., who served with the area's then-volunteer fire department for 29 years, died Friday. He was 88.

Gould started with the fire district in 1959 and worked his way up the ranks until he was promoted to chief in 1968, according to Deputy Chief Drew Smith.

He was chief for 19 years until he retired in 1988, at which point the job passed to his son, current Fire Chief Donald Gould Jr.

Smith, who started as a volunteer firefighter in 1981, said Gould was a very hardworking man who was generous with his time when it came to Prospect Heights.

"He owned a printing company in Chicago and ran that company full time while he was fire chief," Smith said. "He would drop what he was doing at a moment's notice if there was a call. He would always be there."

During Gould's time there was no 9-1-1 service, so emergency calls would come directly to Gould's home or the homes of other high-ranking firefighters.

Smith said the responsibility for raising the alarm often fell to Gould's wife, Betty, who ran a beauty parlor out of their house.

Smith said Gould oversaw the first expansion to the fire station. He bought modern equipment and established the district's first paramedic service.

"He led the department when things relied on community spirit and volunteerism," Smith said.

Gould's two daughters, Nancy McDonald and Diane Ensign, also have connections to fire service. Nancy married Mike McDonald, a now retired captain at the Highland Park Fire Department. Diane married Ralph Ensign, now the fire chief in Glenview.

"It's kind of all in the family," Smith said.

Donald and Betty Gould have lived in Tarpon Springs, Florida, for the last 10 years. Funeral arrangements are pending.