Ralph Stegbauer
Jeffery Skaggs
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — Funeral service arrangements have been announced for the two longtime community firefighters who lost their lives in a tragic accident on Saturday, Nov. 25.
For Concord-Green Fire Captain Jeffery Skaggs, a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Grace Community Church with Mike Skaggs officiating. Burial will follow in the Milledgeville-Plymouth Cemetery. The service and burial will include full military and firefighter honors.
Friends may visit with the family today from 4-8 p.m. at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Jeff’s name are suggested to: Concord-Green Fire Department, C/O Bridget Sollars, 1325 Miami Trace Rd, SW, Washington C.H., Ohio 43160.
For Concord-Green Fire Chief Ralph Stegbauer, a memorial service honoring his life will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday at Crossroads Christian Church in Washington Court House with Pastor Adam Lynch officiating with a focus on Ralph’s spiritual life and recognition of his firefighting career.
Friends may visit with the family at the church on Saturday from 1 p.m. until the time of the service. A private burial held by the family will take place the following day.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to be made in Ralph’s name to: Concord Green Fire Department C/O Bridget Sollars, 1325 Miami Trace Road, SW, Washington C.H., Ohio 43160 or to Crossroads Christian Church Youth Group, 175 Halliday Way, Washington Court House, Ohio 43160.
On Nov. 25, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office 9-1-1 Center received a call just after 11 a.m. of an overturned mechanical lift with injuries. First responders arriving on scene identified the victims in the overturned lift as Stegbauer and Skaggs. Both sustained fatal injuries in the accident and were pronounced dead at the scene by Fayette County Coroner Dr. Lenora Fitton.
Initial investigation revealed that Stegbauer and Skaggs were utilizing the lift to make repairs to the radio tower outside the Concord-Green firehouse when the lift tipped over, ejecting both of them from the tower basket from many feet in the air.
Skaggs was a volunteer firefighter at the Concord-Green Fire Department where he was appointed the rank of captain in 2016. During his time as a first responder, he was known to always be one of the first to arrive on scene and one of the first to help wherever he could in any situation. He also enjoyed reaching out to the community and loved presenting the Fire in The Sky 4th of July fireworks show for more than 20 years.
Stegbauer served as a member of the Concord Green Fire Department since 1976 where he held several positions, beginning as a firefighter, moving up as lieutenant, captain, training officer, and battalion chief. In April of 2007, he was appointed as fire chief of the department.
