Service held for former fire chief

Apr. 13—Firefighters from Milledgeville and Baldwin County and elsewhere joined family and friends Monday night to remember former Baldwin County Fire Chief Steven "Steve" L. Somers.

Somers, who lived in the Coopers community of Baldwin County, died last Wednesday night. He was 59.

There was standing room only in the chapel of Williams' Funeral Home in Milledgeville.

A ladder truck from Milledgeville Fire Rescue Service and another one from Baldwin County Fire Rescue lined up in front of the chapel before the funeral service, while firefighters stretched out a large American flag to remember a fallen brother, leader and unsung hero.

A man dressed in traditional Irish clothing played "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes during the service, which lasted about 45 minutes.

"Some people can't believe we're here; I can't," said the Rev. Larry Glover, who officiated the service for Somers, who held the rank of fire chief of Baldwin County Fire Chief for nearly two years.

Somers served in that position from January 2018 until October 2019. His firefighting career spanned more than four decades. His combined service with Milledgeville Fire Rescue Service and with Baldwin County Fire Rescue, as well as serving as a volunteer for many years before becoming a full-time firefighter gave him a total of 42 years in helping others.

Glover recalled a little boy's face he knew in the community, who wanted to become a fireman so badly.

"I remember a young man who would go up and follow his dad to the firehouse in the days where we barbecued chicken and raised funds," Glover said. "We didn't know what local option sales tax was all about."

Glover recalled that little boy and later young man being Steve Somers.

"God's word speaks to everything," Glover said. "And when he talks about firemen, policemen and first responders, paramedics and EMTs, it says this: Greater love has no man than this — that he would lay down his life for a friend."

Glover said such a man was Somers.

"For 30 years, Steve was ready to lay down his life for you and for me," he said. "There's two things that he did well — real well. When it came to public service, he taught us how to love. I used to joke and tell people that I wanted to go to a big fire when Steve was chief. I wanted to see if he got in a hurry. He never did. If you look in the Genius Book of World Records, and you look up the most laid back fire chief ever, guess whose picture is going to pop up?"

While assembling city and county firefighters and fire trucks before the service began, Glover said a man walked up and told him he wanted to be there, but he had a ballgame.

"Steve would have wanted him at that game," Glover said. "Do what you're suppose to do. That was Steve's motto."

Glover shared another story about Somers.

It was in reference to a man who worked on fire trucks.

"This daddy said something to me that really, really spoke to Steve. He said he loved Steve Somers," Glover said.

The man recalled that while he worked on the fire trucks, his son would walk into the office with Steve and carry on a conversation.

"The fire chief sitting down talking to a kid," Glover said. "Don't that pretty well sum up Steve Somers' life?"

Before the service, Glover said he talked with Somers' son, Shelby.

His son said his favorite thing that he did with his dad was ride with him in his pickup truck.

Glover encouraged the men there without pickup trucks to go out and purchase one to ride their children and grandchildren in it and make memories.

"You see, a pickup truck is where they earn your heart," Glover said.

Somers' daughter, Stephanie, told Glover that her dad taught her how to change a tire, change the oil, and how to fix most anything.

"We're here to celebrate Steve's life, and to tell him thank you for his service to this country," Glover said.

Glover confessed that Somers' wife, Deloris, made a confession to him before the service began.

"She didn't know I was listening, and she said this: "She said, 'Steve was the perfect balance to me. I was fiery and he was laid back.'"

Baldwin County Fire Chief Victor Young, who succeeded Somers, called Monday a sad day.

"I lost a brother and a friend," Young said. "I met Steve 34 years ago when I was only 20 years old. I was young and didn't know nothing about the fire department, and had no experience."

Young said Somers took him under his wing and helped train him.

"He helped turn me into who I am today," Young said. "Steve was a person that never had any problems with vehicles, or buildings. I could always call on Steve. He knew how to fix them and make things right."

The fire chief said he always appreciated Somers for those talents.

The two men differed when it came to the manufacturers of vehicles.

Young said Somers was a Ford man, while he is a Dodge man.

The two men greatly differed on another thing, too — college football.

Somers loved the University of Georgia Bulldogs, while Young loves the University of Alabama.

"We always had discussions about these things all the time," Young said.

The fire chief said Somers was always a quite man.

"He didn't say too much," Young said. "He didn't raise no ruckus."

Young said when Somers decided he wanted to retire from the fire department, he called Young.

"I was at a conference, and I thought he was joking," Young recalled. "He said, 'I'm going to retire.'"

Somers wanted Young to become the new fire chief.

Young said he told Somers he first needed to talk with his wife.

"When Steve was fire chief, I did all I could do to make his job easy," Young said. "I was over the buildings, and I was over the vehicles; whatever it took to take the load off Steve because he was my brother and my friend."

Last Wednesday at a retirement luncheon held at Crockett's, Young said Somers paid a $20 tip for him.

"I didn't have any money in my pocket because I spent it doing something else," Young said. "But Steve gave $20 for my tip so I didn't have to pay it. That's what kind of guy Steve was. No matter what, he would take care of you."

Young thanked Somers' family for lending their loved one to Baldwin County Fire Rescue and the people of Milledgeville and Baldwin County for so many years.

Young then ordered the last call for Chief Steve Somers. Many in the large crowd cried as the radio for Somers to respond went silent.