Former Orem fire captain, ‘Red’ Partridge had a sense of humor
Orem City Fire Department Capt. Vernon "Red" Partridge passed away Nov. 16, 2015 at age 87. He is survived by four children, 17 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Vernon "Red" Partridge (front row, far left) poses with fellow volunteer firefighters for the Orem City Fire Department in a photo from the 1950s.
Orem City Fire Department Capt. Vernon "Red" Partridge passed away Nov. 16, 2015 at age 87. He is survived by four children, 17 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Vernon Decker “Red” Partridge.
Lieutenants Arnold Long, Fred Hansen, Vernon Partridge and Chief Howard Jacobsen pose for a photo beside one of the City of Orem's five firetruck engines, circa 1964.
With thousands of crucial, yet everyday people comprising the Utah Valley community, the Daily Herald would like to further highlight and share the real stories and impact of those who have recently departed. “A bit more of the story” will reflect those efforts and remember those lives.
Before joining the Orem City Fire Department full-time in July 1965, Vernon Decker “Red” Partridge served as a volunteer in the local police and fire departments.
Partridge is credited with assisting to build the City of Orem’s first fire truck. He would eventually serve 27 years as a captain for the department and became one of the first few salaried full-time firefighters for the city.
Partridge passed away on Nov. 16 at age 87 due to complications from a fall. His memorial service held on Saturday was attended by Orem fire personnel, family and loved ones, and a polished fire engine led the funeral procession carrying Partridge’s casket to its final resting place at Orem City Cemetery.
“I’m proudest of him for the fact that he passed with absolutely no thought of what he did for Orem City’s history and the police and fire department,” said Kris Marshall, Partridge’s eldest daughter, holding back tears. “When I would talk to him about it he could never understand why I thought he was so – fantastic.”
Firefighter and father
Partridge would stay at the station on a 24/48 schedule — on-call for 24 hours and then given 48 hours off.
Marshall grew up with a father dashing out of the house in the middle of the night only to return home hours later smelling like soot and smoke after a battling a fire in the community. She remembers how every year there would be at least one wildfire on the hillsides up Provo Canyon caused by a lightning storm exploiting a dry summer.
She said he spent many nights up fighting fires in Provo Canyon.
“You could often see the smoke because Orem was small then, so you didn’t have all the houses in your way,” Marshall said with a laugh. “But I could see where the fire was, and I knew that my dad was on the mountain fighting that fire. He would come home and, of course, I would be happy because he was safe.
“But there was a distinct smell that comes from that type of a fire, a grass type fire, and I remember that distinctly.”
In the middle of the night in August 1970, the day before Marshall’s wedding, the 19-year-old bride heard the home telephone ring.
In those early days, firefighters’ home telephones were connected to a central board alert system that produced a rapid ringtone that differed from the usual intermittent ringtone so the firefighter would know it was the department calling.
“You always knew that he was fighting a fire and you just told yourself that he would come home because he had come home all the other times,” Marshall said.
She remembers growing up in the “small” town of Orem where everybody knew everybody else. According to a 1965 annual city report, the population of Orem was listed at 24,000. As of 2014, Orem’s population has since reached 91,781 residents.
“It was a constant in my life, no matter where I went, ‘Oh, you’re Red Partridge’s daughter. Wow! You have really incredible parents.’ They would just take one look at me and I would just stand there thinking, ‘OK,'” Marshall said, reflecting on her early childhood.
There may not have been a great deal of recognition in the newspapers, but people knew who Marshall’s parents were, she said.
Partridge married his beloved wife, Donna Rae Hurst, on June 14, 1950. She preceded her husband in death in 1984 after battling leukemia.
To mark her passing, the City of Orem revived an ended tradition of assigning a police detail to escort funeral processions up 800 East in Orem. The funeral practice had been discontinued some years earlier.
“When we took her to the Orem Cemetery, every corner, every stop sign and every light had a police escort so that we were not stopped at any point in the route to go to the cemetery,” Marshall said, with a trembling voice.
“That was how they paid their respects to both my mom and dad, because mom was next to dad’s side always — always.”
Peaceful final moments
In his final moments, Partridge had been transferred to an Orem care center recovering from a recent fall.
“We just could see from the signs that his body was telling us that he was done and we got him on hospice, and they helped us so that he could have a quiet, peaceful passing,” Marshall said.
All four of his children, Marshall, Lori Michaelson, Alyn Partridge and Ryan Partridge were called and gathered around their ailing father, holding his hands. Moments later, surrounded by family and loved ones, Red Partridge passed away.
He is survived by his children, 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
He liked a good laugh
Marshall recalls her father’s strange sense of humor. Partridge was known for donning what’s best described as an “old lady mask and wig,” which he used for the occasional practical joke.
As the fire captain, one of the duties firemen were assigned was to check the pressure of fire hydrants throughout the city. He and his team were out checking fire hydrants in a certain neighborhood and the old lady mask and wig came out.
“He was being silly,” Marshall said, “and the police department, which shared the building with the fire department, got a phone call.”
Apparently, an Orem resident called in concerned about what was going on when she saw a person running around a fire truck with a rubber mask on.
“For the police and fire department, that was probably the greatest laugh anybody has ever had because they knew that Red was out in his old lady mask and wig frightening all the neighbors as they checked the water pressure,” Marshall said, laughing. “So, for us who know him it was extremely hilarious. That was just so him; he had a great sense of humor.”
People that went to Lincoln High School in Orem with Partridge would often say to Marshall, “That Red Partridge was always a cut up.” The high school, located near 300 N. 800 South in Orem, has since been demolished.
The loving daughter describes Partridge as extremely “unassuming,” humble, selfless and willing to do for others. He demonstrated that sentiment through his life of public service to his community.
“I don’t even think he was in it for the pat on the back. He just saw a need and wanted to help fill it,” Marshall said.
