Long serving Moriah fire chief Ralph Jaquish dies

MORIAH – Revered former fire chief and town council member Ralph Jaquish has died at the age of 88.

Jaquish, who served as Moriah fire chief for a record 53 years, died suddenly at home on Tuesday.

He was respected as a community leader and known for his 58 years of community service with the Moriah Volunteer Fire Department, 53 of them as chief, retiring in 2012 at the age of 81.

In his later years, he and his wife, Ruth, toured the U.S. and Canada in their motorhome.

He worked in the town’s iron mines for Republic Steel after discharge from the U.S. Air Force in 1951, then ran his own electrical contracting business, and finally worked for International Paper for 27 years as a shift engineer, retiring in 1992.

His father, Ralza, was killed in the Republic Steel mines in 1951, and he came home from the service to become the sole support for his mother, three sisters and one brother.

He married Ruth Christian in 1952 and they had nine children together.

Jaquish was a member of the Moriah Town Council for nine years, and during that time oversaw operation and improvements to the town’s Bulwagga Bay Campground on Lake Champlain.

He joined the Moriah Fire Department in 1954 and became chief in 1959. When he retired as chief, he was recognized for being the longest serving fire chief in the state of New York.

In 2008, Jaquish was named grand marshal of the Port Henry Labor Day Parade, saluting his 50 year anniversary as fire chief in 2009.

Former Crown Point fire chief Joseph Norton said he worked with Jaquish many times.

“It was an honor to work many (fire) scenes with him as a firefighter, assistant chief, deputy coordinator and investigator,” Norton said. “He will be sorely missed by all.”

At one point, Ralph Jaquish’ son, Donald, and grandson, Gabriel, were all members of Moriah Fire Department. Donald Jaquish is now director of emergency services for Essex County.

An 2011 article in the New York Journal called them a “family dynasty of community service.”

In an interview with the Press-Republican when he observed 50 years as chief, Jaquish said that in 1959 he had one truck and just a handful of firefighters.

When he celebrated his anniversary as chief in 2009, the department had six trucks and 50 active members.

“We’re better now, because we have better equipment,” he said in the interview. “I don’t think the people are better. They’re better trained. Personalities are the same.”

His son, Donald, said his father always believed in helping others.

“He was always 'the chief' to us,” he said. “His was a lifetime of community service. If you needed him, he was there, at a fire call, an ambulance call, anything. He was very well respected.”

Former Ticonderoga fire chief Matthew Watts said Jaquish will be greatly missed.

“Heaven gained another great man,” Watts said.

“Chief Jaquish served the Moriah community for over 50 years as fire chief, as well as his other community involvement. But most of all, he was a great husband, father, grandfather, friend and mentor to so many. I am honored to have known him and worked at fire scenes with him.”

The family said that due to the coronavirus pandemic, a public memorial services will be held at a later date.