A fallen firefighter was remembered in Modesto on Tuesday morning, at a Celebration of Life ceremony.
Retired Captain Greg Ewert lost his eight-year battle with job-related cancer.
“Greg loved being a firefighter," Jim Miguel, a former Modesto Fire Chief said. "He really loved this job, he talked about it often," Kirk Jones, Ewert's childhood friend said.
Ewert was only 61-years-old.
“He was very, very good at it," Miguel said. "As you might know, Greg is meticulous. Greg not only expected perfection of himself, but he expected perfection of his crew."
He spent 31 years working for the Modesto Fire Department.
“Greg served our community and each of us with courage, determination and pride for more than 31 years, and ultimately paid the ultimate price," Chief Alan Ernst of the Modesto Fire Department said.