Mountain Ranch, CA…The Calaveras County Emergency Services Community is greatly saddened by the tragic passing of 19 year-old, Central Calaveras Fire and Rescue Protection District Firefighter Thomas James “TJ” Wennhold on January 15, 2025.

Firefighter Wennhold started his fire service career at the age of 15 as a cadet at CCFRPD, graduated high school in June of 2023, worked on dual degrees in fire Science and Emergency Medical Services and was set to graduate from Columbia College in the Spring of 2025. He was inspired by and following in the footsteps of his father, Fire Chief Bill Wennhold of CCFRPD and mother, an RN at Mark Twain Hospital. He was a very bright individual and had an exceptionally promising future.

Services are set for 12:00, Saturday, January 25, 2025 at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds Mark Twain Hall. The Service will begin promptly and be immediately followed by a reception for fellowship, food and memories. All fire service personnel are requested to be in Class A or B uniforms. Seating will be “open” in the Mark Twain Hall, so families may sit together.

Agencies are invited and those wishing to send apparatus to the services, please RSVP by 1/23/25 at 17:00, to John Parks at john.parks@murphysfire.gov with the agency, apparatus ID, contact information and number of personnel attending the Services. Apparatus are asked to arrive no later than 10:00 at the Fairgrounds. This is a static display of fire apparatus, and no procession is planned.

Thank you in advance, and the family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Thomas James “TJ” Wennhold Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Central Calaveras Firefighters Association, P. O. Box 533, Mountain Ranch, CA 95246.