Long-time Liscomb firefighter John Vry honored at city event | News, Sports, Jobs

PHOTOGRAPHED Long-time Liscomb volunteer firefighter John Vry, who served with the fire department for more than 65 years before retiring in early 2024, was honored with a special plaque during the Liberty in Liscomb celebration on Sunday evening.

LISCOMB — As he recalls it, John Vry was 24 years old when he first signed up for the Liscomb Volunteer Fire Department in the late 1950s. Today, he’s just shy of 91, but he’s still proud of all the work he did during his more than six decades of service before retiring in early 2024.

On Sunday evening, Vry, who grew up on a nearby farm before moving to town when he got married, received a special plaque at the end of the annual summer “Liberty in Liscomb” celebration. Liscomb Fire Chief Ben Olson spoke highly of Vry and all he brought to the department.

“Growing up in a big city like I did, we always said ‘In my neighborhood’ or ‘In my area’… With John, Marshall County is his neighborhood. The wealth of knowledge that he tried to impart over the last few years before he retired was priceless. I just hope that I can remember all of that,” Olson said. “I have the utmost respect for John and hold him in the highest regard. And I know I speak for the department when I speak… as a person, as a friend, as a fellow firefighter; it was not only my honor, but also my privilege and my pleasure to serve with him. We are very proud to have him in our department.”

Vry has learned a lot over the years responding to all kinds of fires — namely that every call is different — and he remembers a house fire near Bangor in particular as one that sticks with him to this day.

Another trend Vry has noticed isn’t unique to his community, but it’s certainly had an impact on the small town near the Marshall/Grundy/Hardin county line. The Liscomb Fire Department once had 18 volunteers and a vibrant downtown district. Now, that number is down to about half, with the only businesses remaining being the Village Inn bar and the Mid-Iowa Cooperative.

“Like today, if you get called out, you have to call another fire department to make sure you have enough people to help,” he said. “All fires are different. You never know what you have to do to put out a fire.”

Although he is retired, Vry will always encourage residents to volunteer and serve in smaller fire departments like Liscomb. He also enjoys the opportunity to mentor younger firefighters who join the ranks over the years.

“We are a volunteer fire department, to put out fires for the safety of the next people on the road,” he said. “We have to help the next people too.”

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Contact Robert Maharry

at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

Email: [email protected].

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