On Saturday, May 11, 2023, the following names will be added to the North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the annual ceremony in downtown Raleigh. See below for narratives and notes, about each member and how they died.  

• Ricky Dale Allen – Conover – 2023
• Minton Beach, III – Oak City – 2023
• Dewayne Fender – Asheville – 2022
• James William Goudelock – Dallas – 2022
• Scott W. Hinson – Concord – 2021
• David Scott Holmes – LaGrange – 2022
• Jeremy Michael Klemm – Durham – 2021
• David S. Merritt – Durham/White Cross – 2021
• J. Sorrell Thomas – Concord – 2021

Source: ncfff.org/memorial/annual-memorial/

Narratives and Notes

Scott W. Hinson, 52
Concord
06/03/2021
Senior Firefighter Hinson died after an eight-year battle with cancer, and six years after retiring in 2015 due to his illness. He was a 27-year veteran of the fire service and a member of Concord FD since 1989. Read his NFFF memorial page.

Jeremy Michael Klemm, 45
Durham
09/18/2021
Driver/Engineer Klemm died after contracting COVID on August 17, 2021. He had served 15 years with Durham FD at the time of his death. Read his NFFF memorial page.

J. Sorrell Thomas, 67
Concord
12/08/2021
Senior Firefighter Thomas died after diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2019. He had served 20 years as a member of Concord FD before retiring in 2016. Read his NFFF page.

David Scott Merritt, 54
Durham / White Cross
12/26/2021
Assistant Fire Marshal Merritt died after a short battle with intestinal cancer. He had been a member of Durham FD since 2014 and retired posthumously on January 1, 2022. He was also a member of White Cross FD. 

Eddie Dewayne Fender, 57
Asheville
01/08/2022
Fire Investigator Fender died after 13-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He had served Asheville FD for 28 years. Read his NFFF memorial page.

David “Pumper” Scott Holmes, 51
LaGrange (Lenoir County)
02/28/2022
Captain and retired Fire Chief Holmes died after suffering a heart attack while operating an engine at a fire on February 20. He had served LaGrange FD for over 20 years, including ten years as Chief of Department. He also served on the town council for twelve years and was the mayor pro tempore. Read his NFFF memorial page.

James William Goudelock, 39
Dallas
07/23/2022
Captain Goudelock died of cancer, two and a half years after diagnosis. He was a 24 year veteran of the volunteer fire service and worked as a tow truck operator, and received the national Order of the Towman in 2021. Read his NFFF memorial page.

Minton “Butch” Beach III, 68
Oak City (Martin County)
03/22/2023
Fire Chief Beach died at the hospital of a heart attack, after feeling unwell and going home from training at the fire station on March 13. He had been a volunteer member for 49 years, and had worked for Edgecombe for 19 years, as Director of Emergency Services and as a county Building Inspector. 

Ricky Dale Allen, 36
Conover
03/04/2023
Engineer Allen died after fighting cancer for over two years. He was a 19 year veteran of Conover FD, which he joined after two years as a junior firefighter. He also served with Taylorsville FD for the last year of his life. Read his NFFF memorial page.