There was hardly a dry eye in the crowd of family and friends Monday at the Coal Grove fire station when retired fire chief Jim Sherman stood with everyone to say goodbye.

Tuesday, June 13, 2000

There was hardly a dry eye in the crowd of family and friends Monday at the Coal Grove fire station when retired fire chief Jim Sherman stood with everyone to say goodbye.

"(Sherman) is one of the most unselfish, dedicated men that I have worked with," assistant fire chief Chris Harmon said.

Harmon worked with Sherman for 11 years, and explained that the ceremony was a joint effort within the village fire department.

"Jim’s set a good example for us, and we’re just trying to follow it," he said.

For his ongoing dedication to the department, Sherman was honored with a certificate signed by commissioners Bruce Trent, Paul Herrell and George Patterson.

He also was presented a custom-made plaque and a special jacket with his name and department number, 401, engraved.

Coal Grove mayor Tom McKnight started the informal ceremony, honoring Sherman’s 43 hard years of work at the village department.

"Gary, you’ve got some big shoes to fill, and I’m sure you can do it," McKnight said to Gary Sherman, son of Jim and acting Coal Grove fire chief.

Local firefighters had not had the opportunity to assemble and honor the retiring Sherman since he announced he would leave.

And Monday’s ceremony drew public service officers from all across Lawrence County.

They included Ironton firefighter Joe Stevens, Proctorville police officers, South Point firefighters, Coal Grove police officers and Coal Grove village council officials.

Although everyone looks up to Sherman as an example of what a firefighter should be, Sherman said he was just happy to help the people of Coal Grove.

"I’ve stayed with (the department) as long as I possibly could," Sherman said.

He joined the fire department in 1957 when he moved to Coal Grove and became good friends with the acting fire chief.

"Being a fireman is completely different than anything else," Sherman said. "It’s something you’ve got to like and you get nothing out of it but self satisfaction."

Sherman said he could not compare his experience working the past 43 years with fellow firefighters to anything.

"It feels good," he said. "You have to have collaboration. After a while the (village) people realized it really takes something to keep (firefighters) going."

Acting fire chief Gary Sherman added that the decades of his father’s dedication was all volunteer.

"The 43 years speaks for itself," Gary Sherman said. "He loved it and that’s why he stuck with it."