Father Robert Jones, SVD passed away on Monday, May 13th at Techny, IL. Father Bob became involved with the department while a member of the Divine Word College Seminary. Divine Word Seminary has been an integral part of the Epworth Community and remains very supportive of our volunteer fire department. Allowing Father Bob to volunteer was just another way Divine Word gave back to its community. Father Bob was extraordinary because he became an active member of our department, trained to become a Paramedic, and will be forever remembered as our ‘Firefighting Father’. Just as a church has a clergy, Father Bobby always made our firefighting family his clergy for his own little church. Father Bob served actively from 1983-1991 and was in the first Paramedic class the Epworth Fire Department participated in. He also served as President of the Epworth Community Volunteer Firemen, INC - the nonprofit corporation of the fire department members. In 2009, Father Bob returned to Epworth to bless and celebrate our opening of the new station on Jacoby Drive. It was very important to all us to have him come back and celebrate our moving into the new station, as well as to provide a blessing over our new members, their families, and our wonderful new station. Father Bobby not only served the community within the parameters of conventional firefighting and paramedic response, he would exert the extra time to connect and console many community members in order to help them cope with the stress of severe fires, complicated medical calls or tragic accidents. We extend sincere condolences to his sister and brothers as well as all of our friends at Divine Word College.