CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A large crowd spaced out and wore masks to pay their final respects Friday to the first Charleston firefighter to die on duty in the Capital City since 1980.
Several hundred gathered in the Grand Hall of the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center Friday to remember Jason Cuffee.
“Jason was a good young man and always respectful to adults and carried himself really well,” said Pastor Keith Tyler of the Grace Bible Church in Charleston.
Tyler came to know Cuffee well as member of the youth congregation at the church. Rev. Matthew Watts delivered the funeral message and pointed out Jason’s ability to bring all people together and his love of the Lord.
“That’s why I have hope. People like Jason put their faith in Christ at an early and tender age where they could develop a Biblical and world life view. They are able to see things through the lens of the scripture and know things don’t have to be the way they are, they really can be better,” Watts told the crowd.
Cuffee, 27, was a five-year veteran of the Charleston Fire Department. He leaves behind three children and a fiance. He was standout athlete for Poca High School in both football and basketball. It was a team Rev. Watts, since his playing days at Mount Hope High School, had vowed to despise since the Dots were able to knock his team out of a shot at a state title in 1973.
“Jason Lynwood Cuffee is an amazing individual, because he converted a mighty Mustang who had vowed deep down in his soul he would never cheer for a Poca Dot, but he became a fan,” Watts said.
Pastor Mason Ballard was a lifelong friend and knew Jason during his high school years. They stayed in touch through the years and it was in those conversations Ballard said he came to know Cuffee on a much deeper level.
“We both hit rocky times and opened up about our lives, our faith, and our struggles. We saw sides of each other we had never seen. In those conversations, Jason’s faith became evident,” Ballard shared.
The funeral included remarks from Charleston Fire Chief Jeff Jackson, Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin, and state Fire Marshal Ken Tyree. The gathering also heard enthusiastic words from former University of Charleston coach Jason Gee who had known Cuffee most of his life. Gee told the story of joking with Cuffee that he was a “smooth operator” who was never too low and never too high. He added Cuffee responded he was always a fan of Gee’s non stop energy. He channeled that energy into the funeral.
“We’re thankful for this man. Look at all this blue and the Liberty blue. This man’s life meant something,” Gee said.
Cuffee’s brother Elijah is a standpoint member of the Liberty University basketball team.
Cuffee’s body was carried by fellow firefighters on a Charleston fire truck to his final resting place after an honorary procession through the streets of the city he served.
Cuffee died Monday morning of an undisclosed medical ailment while on duty at the Oakwood Road fire station.
He played college basketball at Wright State before transferring to Cedarville University.
Photos courtesy WV Fire MarshalÂ