A Loss

My dad is a firefighter, as most of you know by now. His partner was killed at the end of last week. It's like losing a member of my own family. I'm posting the obituary here.

Matt Thetford

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Funeral services for Matt Thetford, 39, of Levelland will be 10 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008 at First Baptist Church, Levelland, Texas with Rev. Jay Macha, pastor, First Christian Church, Levelland, Texas and Bobby Bell, chaplain, Levelland Fire Department, Levelland, Texas. Burial will be in Whitharral Cemetery under direction of George Price Funeral Home, Levelland, Texas. He died Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008 at Covenant Medical Center, Lubbock, Texas.

Born on March 16, 1968 in San Antonio, Texas, he graduated from Del Rio High School in Del Rio, Texas. He attended South Plains College, Levelland, Texas, and graduated from Texas Tech Health Science Center paramedic school. He attended Texas A & M Fire School at Bryan-College Station, Texas on an annual basis and multiple area fire schools. He married Amy Horne on Nov. 3, 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Matt was preceded in death by a brother, William Ashley Thetford on Feb. 18, 1967.

Survivors include his wife, Amy Thetford, of Levelland, Texas; his parents, C.E. and Margie Thetford of Del Rio, Texas; a daughter, Brooke Renee Thetford of Levelland, Texas; three sons, Matthew Crockett Thetford, Jr., Tyler Wayne Horne and Klayton Taylor Horne, all of Levelland, Texas; two sisters, Jeanie Valentine of Liberty, North Carolina and Julie Hardy of Grand Prairie, Texas.

The family suggests memorials to, Levelland EMS, 809 11th St., Levelland, Texas 79336, The Matthew C. Thetford Fireman's Scholarship Fund, c/o Levelland Fire Department, 502 Ave. F, Levelland, Texas 79336, or to First Christian Church, 311 Clubview Dr. Levelland, Texas 79336.