Deputy Chief (Ret.) John Eversole of the Chicago Fire (IL) Department, whose pioneering work in the area of hazardous materials and terrorism response left an indelible mark on the history of the U.S. fire service, was laid to rest on May 25, 2007. Below is the eulogy composed by his friend and colleague Greg Noll.
My name is Greg Noll. For the last 25 years, John and I have been very good friends, professional peers, and occasionally, partners in crime. When Mike told me that John asked if I could do his eulogy, there was no way I could ever say no. The challenge came when John told Mike that it had to be five minutes or less…classic Eversole!
Today is a particularly sad time for all of us. But it is not a day to say good-bye; rather it is our opportunity to say “see you later.” For while John may be leaving us, he now has the opportunity to once again see his mother and father, Sue’s parents, as well as many of his friends, including George Malik and Warren Isman.
John was so many things to each of us. Many years ago a chief officer who I worked for in the Prince George’s County (MD) Fire Department always used to tell us to remember our top four priorities…the 4F’s as he called them….our families, our faith, our friends and finally, the fire department. Like all of us, John occasionally got those priorities a little mixed up. But when we shared a beer with John, whether it was in Stillwater, Chicago or Hunt Valley, we always knew what John was most proud of – Sue, Mike and Cindy, and his grand-daughters MacKenzie and Taylor.
For those of us in the fire service, John wore many hats. For many of us he was not just our friend, but he was our brother. Over the last several days, many of my younger friends have told me that they viewed John as both a father figure and a mentor. One comment that I’ve heard over and over is that “… he never acted as important as he really was.”
I read Jimmy Dean’s e-mail last night talking about John doubling as a singing gondola driver. John was also a man of many faces – some that I clearly remember include being a defense attorney for Jerry Grey in the “Send Gray Back to the Bay” trial in the 1980’s, as a Klingon Captain, as a doorman at the Marriott Hotel, as a fellow Samurai Warrior, as the captan of the NFPA “Victory at Sea” fishing trip, as a key player in the infamous Bubbleator Caper, and as a jewelry store attendant in Tijuana.
Looking back, the fire service and the haz-mat response community were simply the vehicles that allowed all of us to see and know John the person. John was simply a “class act.” Being the professional that he was, John excelled in life as a firefighter and as a chief fire officer. But frankly, John would have excelled at anything that he tried to do.
John was what could best be described as a street firefighter…a guy who always told us that “It ain’t —- if it doesn’t work on the street!” Many of you sitting in this church today demonstrate the strong or bond that can be found in only certain areas of our society. It exists between soldiers who have fought together in war, and it certainly exists between those who have lived in the fire service. I believe that it was that camaraderie – that bond – that John enjoyed the most about life.
Finally, John taught all of us about character. He led by example. One never had to look at the winds of change to figure out where John stood on an issue. While he always looked for “win/win” opportunities, he never conceded anything on his core values and beliefs.
A 19th Century evangelist once said that “Character is what you are in the dark.” The most difficult choices in life, between honor and dishonor, is when no one is watching; when only you know if you have done right or wrong.
Throughout our lives, God grants us all the privilege of having our character tested and our honor affirmed. The tests come frequently. We all fail some, but hopefully not most of them.
John Eversole exemplified character. The things that John was able to accomplish both personally and professionally – I believe – ultimately go back to the things that his parents taught him as a young man. Things that, unfortunately if you are to believe the media, sound corny to many today – things like honesty, integrity, commitment, humility, and compassion.
In closing, John was the consummate teacher…not only in the fire service and the hazmat world, but about life. John taught us that with dedication, hard work and perseverance, that one person can continue to make a difference. Some people wonder all their lives if they’ve made a difference to the world. John Eversole never had that problem.
Thanks John — for making a difference to all of us.
