Friday was the day that the community said their final goodbyes to longtime Owego Fire Chief Tom Taft. Funeral services were held this morning at the First Baptist Church in Owego, with the burial ceremony following at Evergreen Cemetery. The procession passed under ladder trucks from Owego and Candor on its way. Current OFD Chief Dan Gavin grew up with Taft in charge of the department.
“The chief meant a lot to the members,” he told WEBO today. “He was a quiet man, but he was also one that could bust out a joke, especially when it was needed. He was very good at team building.”
Besides his 12 years as OFD chief, the 51-year-old also volunteered his time to coach youth sports in the community for his three sons. Steve Virkler is the head coach of the OFA football program, which currently includes two of Tom’s sons.
“Coach Taft is a guy that put a lot into this community,” Coach Virkler told WEBO. “Close to us, he was involved in our youth football program for many years and ran that. He was just a good person that cared very much about kids.”
Chief Taft was also a veteran of the US Marine Corps. His arrangements were coordinated by the Estey, Munroe, and Fahey Funeral Home. The family asks that contributions in Tom’s memory be made to the Mercy House in Endicott. Photos and video from today’s funeral are available on the WEBO Facebook Page.
