ORDWAY — Colorado gathered today to honor two heroes and to remember them as men, with flesh-and-blood lives.
Fire Chief Terry DeVore and firefighter John Schwartz died Tuesday protecting their Southern Colorado community, battling a blaze that destroyed at least 24 homes and prompted the evacuation of 1,200.
Friends, family and state officials who filled the gym of Crowley County High School for a memorial service today recalled the joking, gregarious nature of DeVore, 30, and the quiet strength of Schwartz, 38.
“I’ve never had any heroes in my life that I can recall, but I can tell you I’ve got two now, and I’ll remember them,” said one Ordway resident during the service as he was moved to praise the sacrifice of the men.
DeVore and Schwartz died when a truck they were driving to fight the blaze plunged 15 feet into a wall of fire after a bridge collapsed.
Crowley County officials Friday night said preliminary findings indicate that the fire was caused by two insufficiently extinguished controlled burns that rekindled.
The week before he died, DeVore had filed to run for City Council of Olney Springs, a rural town of about 300, following in the steps of his mother, who is the mayor.
He was the prankster of the two.
Jeff Bennett, a member of the Olney Springs Fire Department, told the crowd of mourners that when he first joined the department and went on his first call, DeVore teased him by handing him a gunney sack and a water bucket and telling him to get to work.
Bennett’s sister, Ceciala, recalled how when she wrecked her pickup, DeVore was the first to respond. He looked at her and quipped: “It’s a lot funner if you keep it on its wheels.”
Colleagues recalled that the two served as volunteer firefighters and worked full-time jobs at the nearby Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility. Often the firefighting gear was ragtag, with unmatched uniforms and an old truck. But those who worked by their side said both were passionate about protecting citizens and keeping the community safe.
“We made what we had look sharp,” said friend and fellow firefighter John Bradshaw. “And when we pulled up to a fire, it was all business and all about our jobs.”
Firefighters from across the state came to pay their respects. Between 300 to 400 firefighters were in attendance, and 75 fire-response vehicles were parked along a route in their honor. An American flag draped from two ladder trucks that heralded the entrance to the school where the service was held.
Both men left behind family. DeVore had a wife and four children, from ages 4 to 9 years old. Schwartz was divorced and had four children, ranging in age from 4 to 15 years old.
The firefighters hugged DeVore’s father, Bruce, also a firefighter, throughout the service. He had fought for hours the very blaze that killed the two men, hoping to rescue them. At other times in the service, the firefighters stepped down from the podium to crouch low to talk to the surviving children.
Sky Mae Bogner recalled that she first met Schwartz at the county fair where she entertained one of his sons for six hours, giving horseback rides. She agreed to help with babysitting after the father asked.
“John’s life was his boys, and he was always the first one to give anyone any help no matter where you were going and headed,” she said.
Shortly after she began to sob, recalling Schwartz’s dedication to help those in need, even during your own times of strife, Schwartz’s youngest son, John Mason, 4, bolted from the crowd and into her arms.
Ari Zavaras, Colorado’s director of corrections, honored the men for their work at the nearby prison. He quoted from a phrase stating that it is the common folk, not statesmen or generals, that make a peaceful world and truly make a difference.
“Although these men were salt of the earth,” Zavaras said. “I hesitate to call them common. I call them heroes.”
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
