Firefighters at the Crozet Volunteers Fire Department are mourning the loss of one of their life-long members on Wednesday night.
The Crozet Volunteer Fire Department says Virgil Lee James, known as V.L., served the Crozet community for more than six decades and recently lost his battle with cancer.
“We could always count on him,” said Will Schemetzler of Crozet Fire.
V.L. James started working at the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department in 1956.
“V.L. was the chief at the fire department, the assistant chief, he was a firefighter, and an operator,” Schemetzler said. “He was a mentor to a lot of people around here including myself.”
James, who was 81 years old, died of cancer on July 17. Now, the fire department and Crozet community are remembering the man who volunteered decades of service to the area.