Tim Cruger Sr. was born into the family of a firefighter. He would wander the few blocks to his father’s station when too young to do so alone. Later, the station was a destination, alone or with friends. The seed was planted.

After a short stint in the Army, he tested for the Spokane Fire Department. Out of 400, he ranked in the top 10, but chose to pursue a business venture that had been dangled in front of him. Over a decade later, after graduation from college, he tested again, this time with Spokane Valley Fire, where he served for 29 years.

The three most important things in his life were God, his family and the community he served. He was deeply devoted to Jesus Christ. He didn’t push his faith onto others but lived it out in his everyday life. His family was his pride and joy. He was deeply devoted to Joan, which he showed in his actions. A born leader, he taught his sons how to be men of integrity and honesty, modeling how to love and lead their own families. He lived out the example of a good husband for his daughters. He passed on his lifelong ethic of hard work to all his children.

Tim had a servant’s heart and enjoyed helping people. Friends knew they could count on him, and the community learned they could also. He was compassionate toward people who were experiencing emergencies firefighters walk into. People have shared accounts of the “above and beyond” care he showed them. Tim had a very quick wit and a playful way about him. He was the one who kept gatherings of friends or family full of laughter, as he could find fun in every situation. Practical jokes were his forte.

Tim had a very competitive spirit and was a man of integrity. He quickly moved up the ladder in rank, completing his career as captain at the busiest station in his district. He loved his job and found great fulfillment in it. He took personal pride in doing his job well and in the manner in which he led his men. He cared about people, and many of his coworkers were deeply seeded in his heart as bothers. Tim is remembered as being “captain, mentor, and friend.”

Tim left a hole in the hearts of his wife, Joan; daughters, Catherine (Chad) and Christina (Randal); sons, Tim Jr. (Kyndra), Joshua (Halley), and Micah (Erika); his 18 grandchildren; his sister, Connie; and his many friends.