Bob Wysong
In a grassy, dirt corner lot in downtown Clarksville, Don Muchmore and Bob Wysong dreamed of being firefighters.
Blocks of wood were suddenly bright red, siren-wailing trucks. No. 2 Pencils lost their pink erasers, which magically transformed into the red light on the roof of the wooden fire trucks.
While still in school, but beyond wood and erasers, Muchmore recalled the school day ending with a ride home on the bus. At the same time, an incoming call to the fire department turned teen-age boys into real-life heroes.
“Off the school bus in to a fire run,” Muchmore said. “Bob and I would throw our books in the yard and jump on the fire truck. Things were different back then. We could do that. We grew up in the fire department.”
Bob Wysong eventually became chief of the Clarksville Fire Department which evolved into the current Clinton-Warren Joint Fire District. Wysong, 70, passed away Tuesday after suffering a medical emergency Christmas Eve.
“My last conversation with Bob was four days ago as he and his crew delivered hams to the senior citizens in Clarksville,” said Noni Wood, incoming mayor of Clarksville. “As I thanked him, I got a snapshot of him walking to his vehicle. You were a hard worker and gave your all to this community. It’s a very sad time for our community.”
Wysong, not only a distinguished fire chief but also a graduate of Clinton-Massie High School and an accomplished basketball player, had an unwavering commitment to public service which earned him the respect and admiration of many. Described by those who knew him as possessing a distinctive voice and recognized as a larger-than-life figure, Wysong’s legacy extends far beyond his professional role.
“The sudden loss is deeply felt and the community acknowledges that it will take time for everyone to come to terms with the void left by Chief Wysong’s passing,” the CWJFD said in a statement.
Gary Huffenberger, former News Journal reporter who worked closely with Wysong over the years, said Wysong’s district was one of the busiest in the area.
“Not only were there all the residences in the district due to it being an area of population growth, but I-71 also cut through his fire district. It is a testament to his leadership that the district became a place for firefighters from other districts to train and receive instruction.”
Andy Mason, Wilmington fire chief, said Wysong represented many things to firefighters in the area.
“Chief Wysong represented the Clinton-Warren Fire Department for many years in many different roles but is best known for his time as Chief,” Mason said via email. “Chief Wysong was always on duty. The weather, the time of day, the incident, it didn’t matter, Chief was there. He was a role model for younger members and even a father figure to some over the years. Chief knew his craft and he did it well.
“Bob was a man with many friends and commitments but his biggest commitment was to his wife Cathy Wysong and family. Bob thought so highly of his wife and his son Andrew Wysong, who has followed in his footsteps over the years. Bob was very passionate about many things from teaching to fire to mentoring. Bob will be missed by so many and his accomplishments will never be forgotten.”
Commissioner Brenda K. Woods shared her condolences, stating, “It certainly is a sad day for our county. Chief Wysong had a willingness to serve and protect by always putting others first. Thoughts and prayers to his family at this difficult time.”
The Wysong and Muchmore households butted up against each other in 1950s Clarksville. Don and Bob were best of friends, along with Don’s older brother Chuck.
But Don and Bob were separated by just a couple years. That’s all that separated them, though. Basketball, wiffle ball, ice hockey. They did it all together.
Including realizing their dream of being real-life fire fighters. Though their “official” beginnings as firemen started when they were 18 years old, Don said their were involved long before that.
“We fought fires when we were 15 years old,” Don said. “Or we directed traffic (for the firefighters). I had 39 years in. Bob had 52 years … kind of the official time but it was longer than that.”
Bob became chief following Alan Sewell. Don and Bob were both with the department at the time but Don “never thought about being chief.”
However, when Wysong agreed to become chief one of his first moves was to hire Muchmore as his assistant.
“It wasn’t so much chief and assistant chief. I felt like I worked with him and not so much more than him.”
Wysong was meticulous when it came to fire equipment, Chuck Muchmore recalled.
“We’d come in (after a fire run) dirty, tired, hungry at 2:30 or 3 o’clock in the morning and you’d have to be washing the hose,” he said. “In a department our size, you had to do that. You don’t have extra (hose). You had to use the same one the next day (on a run).”
On the scene of a fire — always hectic with endless unknowns — Don Muchmore said Wysong’s best attribute was his ability to maintain an even keel.
“Bob was always calm,” said Muchmore, who served as assistant fire chief seven or eight years with Wysong. “I never saw Bob get shook up. You’d see him tired but Bob was always calm. You talk to anybody in the department, that was the good thing being around Bob. He didn’t panic and sometimes there was reason to panic, things could go wrong. I never saw Bob lose (his cool). I’ve seen him anxious or maybe upset but I never saw him panic.”
Despite traveling a rocky road, Wysong took a small fire department in western Clinton County to the thriving, large-scale organization.
“He just had a dedication to the whole area,” said Don Muchmore. “Bob had a vision and dream to make this (fire department) something the whole community could be proud of and he did that.”
