All text, photos, and any other content on this website are protected by copyright law. Reproduction, duplication, or any form of content replication is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from Bay District VFD.
If you have any inquiries or require permission to use our content, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@bdvfd.org.
We appreciate your cooperation and respect for our intellectual property rights.
Bay District Holds Memorial Service
By Public Information Officer Douglas Medley
September 21, 2016
On September 18, 2016 the members of Bay District held our annual memorial service to pay our respects to our members who have passed away this past year. This year we also had a special service to dedicate our social hall to be named the Bob Braddock Hall. Bob was instrumental in both working on the plans when we built the new station and then running it for the past 8 years. He loved working with all the people in the community to make their weddings and reunions something special. He also worked with the families in our community that had lost a love one to have the repast(wake) there. This is one thing that has brought allot of satisfaction to our department to know that we have done a little something for the families.
Now let me regress a little bit here. We all gathered out front of the social hall at the firefighters memorial to reveal the names of our recently departed brothers. These two members were Larry Murdock and Bob Braddock. Both Larry's family and Bob's family were in attendance along with many others from different departments that knew Bob and Larry. Bob's rather large family some who live in New Jersey were in attendance along with his beautiful wife Dee and his two daughters and one son.
Bob was a life member and past President of our department and was always working to make us better. His project of putting up the community Christmas tree every year was a project he so enjoyed and he made sure we did it right. He loved to throw the switch when Santa arrived to our winter wonderland. Larry was one of our older members from the 70's who was such a big help to the department when we sold Christmas trees at the old station. Some good times that was for sure.
After the reveal of the names on the outside memorial we all went into the vestibule of the hall where we had Bob's wife Dee and the rest of the family take down the black bunting over the main doorway to the hall to see that the hall was now called the Braddock Hall along with a beautiful plaque on the wall. There was not a dry eye on the family and many friends. We then all went into the hall for a wonderful lunch by Rita "B" and plenty of reminiscing about both Bob and Larry. I know that Bob and Larry were both looking down on everything and Bob was so proud of this well deserved honor.
This is one service that I wish we didn't have to have but at the same time so proud of our department for not forgetting our departed members.
A nice turn out on a beautiful day for the service.
Bob and Larry's name at the bottom of the memorial.
Placing of roses by the family members on the fallen firefighter.
Bob's wife Dee and Bob's daughter placing a rose for their husband and father.
Dee kneeling to place the rose.
President Johnson talking to all the family members.
Bob's son Robbie getting ready to remove the bunting over the hall front entrance.
Braddock Hall so richly deserved for a man that made our hall so successful. I know he and his family were so proud.
The family's response. Not a dry eye in the crowd.
President Johnson removing bunting from plaque for Bob.
This was a very nice plaque about Bob. Check it out next time you come to visit us.
Our friends from the Lexington Park Rescue Squad, Crystal Jackson, Melissa Gould, Chief Shawn Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. Kim Davidson.
Some of us from bdvfd.
Friends of Bob.
More of our special brothers from bdvfd.
Family and friends of Bob.
Fire Chief Joe Gould reading a proclamation from the state of Maryland for Bob's family.
Fire Chief Joe Gould and Dee Braddock with the proclamation.
Bob's daughter Becky reading a beautiful thank you to the department for all we did.
Our two leaders Joe Gould and Wayne Johnson.
Larry Murdocks sister making some kind remarks. Didn't get her name, sorry.
Bob's brother from New Jersey had some kind remarks about his brother. They were a close family.