SENECA — Former Seneca Fire Chief Richard Harold Timms spent a life well-lived in service to his community, according to sentiments expressed at his funeral Monday.

The community gathered to honor Timms at Seneca Baptist Church with a firefighter’s last rites funeral.

Timms, who died Friday, battled Alzheimer’s disease for nearly the last seven years.

He spent 29 of his 59 years serving as a firefighter in Seneca, the last 20 years as chief. He also served as a police officer in Walhalla and Seneca before becoming a firefighter.

“Chief Timms was one of the most dedicated firemen,” said Capt. Jan Oliver, Seneca’s fire marshal. “He lived, breathed and slept the fire department. Shortly after he was hired chief, I was a volunteer, and he gave me the opportunity to come on as a full-time fireman.”

Oliver said Timms upgraded the department’s fleet of trucks and was always looking out for the citizens.

The funeral featured the entire Seneca Fire Department as well as several firefighters from around the Upstate. The first 10 pews of the church were filled with firefighters and other first responders from the area.

They gave Chief Timms one last ride on the truck, Seneca Fire Engine 2, the last fire engine Chief Timms purchased.

It carried his casket from the church to Oconee Memorial Gardens.

The route was marked with seven different ladder trucks crossing their ladders as Timms’ body passed underneath.

“He was a good firefighter and did a good job for years,” said Capt. Alan Rochester, Seneca’s senior fire official. “He knew his job and performed it well.”

Timms’ commitment and dedication to his job was something that his predecessor learned very quickly.

“For me it was a real short-lived relationship with him, because when I got here he was already out on medical leave,” said Seneca Fire Chief Shane Phillips. “But, I learned a lot from him, and there was no doubt he was a real disciplined man. He had his values. He has made my job a lot easier to this day because he laid the groundwork for where we need to go in the future. But overall the man was a class act, and he will be missed by many.”

Timms was a native to Oconee County and was involved in several philanthropic organizations.

He was a Mason, Rotarian, Shriner, and Big Brother.

“I worked with the chief through several different charities and we had a long time friendship,” said state Senator Thomas Alexander. “I admired his great dedication to taking care of his firefighters. He did a lot to bring the Seneca Department up over his years. I just feel very saddened by the lost of a dear friend, someone that served not only the Seneca community, but also Oconee County because of his involvement over the years. I’m very grateful for his years of dedicated service.”

Von Reynolds, pastor at Seneca Baptist, led the funeral service and spoke about Timms’ tireless service to the community as well as his fellow man. He described Timms in three words that spoke volumes, “service, sacrifice, and faith.”

“Jesus said that service is the means towards greatness, sacrifice is the means towards honor and faith is the means towards salvation. It’s not the number of years that you live, and 59 was far too few for Chief Timms, but rather the quality of years that you lived,” Reynolds said.

Seneca Mayor Dan Alexander said, “Many years of service to this community and he loved doing what he did. It’s very tragic that he got sick like he did, but on a personal note, he was just a great person, and the community will miss his dedication and service.”

The Seneca Fire Department Honor Guard served as pallbearers with the City of Seneca Fire Department as honorary pallbearers.

Timms saw the department double in size and move into its new $1.3 million headquarters on West South Fourth Street.

The funeral processional passed the new fire department and also the former fire department on South Oak Street.