KENNEBUNK, Maine — George Cressey was passionate about firefighting — about protecting others, raising funds to keep Kennebunk Fire-Rescue strong and helping young colleagues learn about his noble profession. Cressey, a local firefighter for more than 50 years, died peacefully Thursday, May 20, following a battle with kidney disease. He was 69. “Everybody in town knew him,” his friend, Skip D’Ascanio, said this week. “He was just a really great guy. We’ll all miss him.” At the time of his death, Cressey was president of the Kennebunk Fire Department Combination A. Cressey joined Kennebunk Fire Rescue when he was 19 years old, according to a post on the Rescue’s page on Facebook. His 53-year career spanned many changes in the field of firefighting, “both in practice and landscape,” the post read. In particular, the post added, Cressey was a passionate fundraiser for the department and took on a significant role in its annual golf tournament. He also was involved in the department’s Explorer program, teaching young firefighters about their profession.