Family, friends and community members paid their final respects to a longtime volunteer firefighter who died in the line of duty in Thurston County.
“John was an amazing guy,” said Chief Warren Peterson, with the East Olympia Fire District.
Capt. John Ostergard was a 27-year volunteer with the department. He suffered a medical emergency while fighting a fire in Yelm on Dec. 14. He died a couple of days later. He was 63 years old. “Lost someone who is almost irreplaceable, basically irreplaceable,” Peterson added.
The funeral procession was made up of about 100 fire engines. It started at Fire Station 61 and wound its way through Thurston County where members of the community lined up to say goodbye.