On January 11, 2016 Chief of Department Burnett was notified that Willingboro Fire Company Charter Member George Derr Jr. had passed away in Rhinebeck, New York. George was part of a small group of men who started the Willingboro Fire Company on January 25, 1960. George served as an active member of the Fire Company, which lead the way for the formation of the Willingboro Fire Department, for 53 years.

George was born Nov. 1, 1922, and grew up in the parsonage of Friendship Protestant Church with no electricity or indoor plumbing. His work ethic grew from his humble beginnings as George hand delivered mail from the mail train, grew corn and tomatoes, raised chickens, and cut grass. In a one-room school house he discovered knowledge and music, and studied violin.

Scouting expanded his world. George was a person who seized every opportunity to learn and experience life. Drafted into service in 1943, he was assigned to a Signal Battalion. After the service, he sold Encyclopedia Britannica and serviced vacuums. He availed himself of every course and workshop to expand his talent in technology and mechanics. In 1952, he began a thirty-two year career with IBM as Customer Engineer servicing computers. In retirement, he traveled with his wife Jean on over twenty vacations that combined study of genealogy, rafting adventures, and traveling with Elder Hostel to European countries and across the United States.

George served his community through his church, as a volunteer for 53 years to the Willingboro Volunteer Fire Department in New Jersey as driver, as a firefighter, as a fire policeman and serving in the offices of Treasurer, President, and Fire Commissioner. He was a Charter Member of the Willingboro Volunteer Fire Company and received an award for 50 years of continuous service in 2010 and he also served as a volunteer court mediator for the Burlington County Court System.

He lived life as an enthusiastic participant. He worked hard, raised a fine family, learned something valuable every day, sang with a choir and blue grass band, shot pool, played ping pong (He was a Tennessee Senior Olympic Ping Pong Champion in 2014 [Gold Medal] and 2015 [Silver Medal]) until he could do no more. During the last 30 years he was involved with the Grace Presbyterian Church, Mt. Laurel, N.J.; Cook's United Methodist Church, Mt. Juliet, Tenn.; and Reservoir United Methodist Church, Shokan, N.Y.

George was given full Firefighter and Military honors during his funeral service on January 21st. After the church service, Chief Burnett read a proclamation from the Township of Willingboro Mayor Nathanial Andersen, honoring George for his years of service to the community. Past Volunteer Fire Chief David Andrade then conducted a Last Alarm Service, which included the ringing of a fire department bell three times by Firefighter James Anderson. Chief Burnett then read the Fireman's Prayer to end the service.

George's family was given a salute by department honor guard upon leaving the church. Several members of his family rode on Engine 1611 to the cemetery. Once the procession arrived at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, George's family was once again saluted by the department honor guard. A short military ceremony was held inside the chapel at the cemetery, at which time George's family was given a folded American Flag in honor of his service to his country.

The Willingboro Fire Department would like to thank the multiple police and fire police units who assisted traffic control during the procession, and to Delran Station 231 for standing by at Willingboro Fire Headquarters while the Willingboro units were out of town.