Rockyford remembers fallen firefighters

Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

Every time Rockyford firefighters pull in and out of the fire station, and every time members of the community walk down Main Street, they will be reminded of two fallen firefighters.
Following the end of the Rockyford Rodeo parade, the Village of Rockyford unveiled a new clock outside the fire hall.
The clock was established as a way to recognize the lives and careers of Richard Zachariassen and David Mabbott.
“We wanted to pay tribute to these men for their commitment and protection of our community,” said Rockyford Mayor Darcy Burke. “We talked about getting a bench or a picnic table, but that wasn’t significant enough. It wasn’t until about two months ago that fire chief Wayne Clyne asked about a clock tower as a way to represent the time they have spent representing our department and volunteering their time.”
The clock tower stands on the corner of Main St. and Railway Ave. It was shipped from Cincinnati, Ohio and cost $40,000. It has a vibrant red stand with four clocks – one facing each direction – at the top, inscribed with the message of “dedicated to our fallen” on the inside of the clock.
Members of the Rockyford Rural Fire Association, the Rosebud Fire Association and Dalum Fire Protection Association were on hand to pay their respects to their fallen co-workers.
The ceremony took place July 29, following the conclusion of the Rockyford Rodeo parade, which ended at the fire department.
“On behalf of the community, I want to thank the Zachariassen family and the Mabbott family for allowing those two individuals to be part of our community and volunteering their time for our department,” said Burke.
Richard’s widow, Helen, was front and centre to check out the new clock tower.
“I’m glad they did this for Rick. He would have loved it,” said Helen. “I wasn’t planning on this being an emotional day until now.”
Richard passed away Feb. 8, 2015 in a farming accident. He was 57. Mabbott passed away in a motor vehicle accident in May of 1997. He was 37.
The ceremony ended with remarks from Member of Parliament Martin Shields, who thanked the current firefighters for their efforts.
“To those people who volunteer to do this for us, it is with great gratitude that we thank you for what you do for our community,” he said. “So, in memory, this is a beautiful way to commemorate the people who paid the ultimate price. To you who do this and volunteer on a daily basis, thank you very much.”