Hundreds of firefighters paid a final tribute on Monday afternoon to Shane Daughetee, the 24-year-old Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department firefighter who lost his life in a fire early Friday morning.
Most of those in the overflow crowd at Bayside Baptist Church were in uniform.
Along Highway 58, there was a long line of fire and emergency vehicles with their emergency lights flashing.
The Rev. Dale Lovelady of Hickory Valley Christian Church called the 7-year fire veteran "a teddy bear of a man" who was passionate about fighting fires and helping others.
His top allegiance, though, was to his wife of three years, Nicole, and his parents, James and Linda Daughetee, the speaker said.
The minister asked those in the congregation to cherish their memories of him and honor his memory by emulating his example of service.
There were some emotional moments in the service as some of his fellow firefighters read tributes to him, including a poem about a fallen hero.
Captain Robby Roark and Lt. David Binns presented the firefighter's badge to his widow.
Some 200 firefighters spent a cold Saturday night raking through the ruins of the house on Gamble Road trying to locate the firefighter's helmet. They found remnants of it that were presented to the widow also.
The UTC Chamber Singers sang several numbers and an official of the Fallen Firefighters Memorial Committee gave a prayer.
There was a later ceremony at the burial site at the New McDonald East View Cemetery.
Republished with permission of The Chattanoogan.
