Thomas Berry III

 The passing of Firefighter Thomas Wilson Berry III as a result of injuries sustained while operating at a motor vehicle collision on Lewes-Georgetown Highway east of Georgetown on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.

Thomas was an 8-year member of the Ellendale Volunteer Fire Company, joining as a junior member at the age of 15, but as a fourth-generation Ellendale firefighter, Thomas grew up in the Ellendale firehouse. Always counting down to others the years and months left until he could join and be a firefighter.

On his mother’s side, his great-grandfather John Argo is a lifetime member and former President of the Ellendale Volunteer Fire Company, his grandfather John Argo Jr. is a lifetime member and past Ellendale Fire Chief, his grandmother Connie Argo a former Ellendale EMS Lieutenant, his mother Jayme Argo was an Ellendale EMT, and his uncle J.R. Argo was an Ellendale firefighter.

On his father’s side, his grandmother Mercy Kramer is a former Ellendale EMS Captain, his grandfather Thomas Berry Sr. a past Ellendale EMT, his father Thomas Berry Jr. a former Ellendale Assistant Chief, his step-mother Heather Jones-Berry a lifetime Ellendale member and firefighter, and his uncle Robert Berry is also a former Ellendale firefighter.

And while this is just his immediate family, as he had several more relatives who volunteered at Ellendale in many capacities, it illustrates how Thomas was a lifelong member of the Ellendale family.

Thomas was well known for his mischievous smile and ability to make friends wherever he was. This has never been more evident than by the outpouring of love from the community over the last 48 hours. His love of helping others wherever he was is easily displayed in the stories of him hearing the fire siren while in a neighboring town and stopping at their fire station to ride along with them; something he was doing as recently as last week when driving through Milford and hopping on a Carlisle fire engine.

Throughout Thomas’s tenure, he was consistently a top responder, showing up day and night to assist his neighbors in need. Whenever severe weather conditions required staffing the fire station, for hurricanes or snowstorms, you could be certain that Thomas was there for the duration, sleeping in the firehouse for several days. His commitment to his community, his fellow firefighters, and his impact on the fire company, led to him receiving Ellendale’s Firefighter of the Year award in 2022.

Thomas’s dedication to service extended into his professional life as well. In 2022, Thomas was hired by Sussex County EMS and began working in their Logistics division. He was becoming interested in the dispatch work done by the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center and had recently attended classes for the Emergency Medical Technician course.

His passion for service meant Thomas was among the most active firefighters in attending training, always working to hone his craft so that he could be ready to help the next person. Thomas’s willingness to share that knowledge with others led him to take on the unofficial role of mentor to many of the junior members of the fire company. As within any organization, workplace, or group, it is these unofficial roles that are earned out of respect that often have the largest impact on the future. While our collective hearts are broken and grieving at this moment, we know that Thomas’s legacy will live on in Ellendale forever through the foundations he helped build in younger members and the lives of residents and visitors to our community that he touched.