Thor’s Hammer is being established in memoriam of Thurston (Thor) Lewis Stish, member of the Toga Volunteer Fire Department in Buckingham County, VA. Before he was technically old enough to be a junior member with Toga, he pressed his dad and the chief to let him be a part of things; anything as long as it was at the firehouse. He helped at fundraisers; setting up tables and chairs, sweeping floor
s and even cleaning the bathrooms. And he did it all with a smile on his face and pride in his step, for you see, Thor was very much at home in the firehouse. Over the next few years Thor dedicated himself to training, getting his Firefighter Level I certification, his mechanical skills were put to work in routine maintenance on the trucks and he didn’t mind staying late after a call to make sure things were shipshape for the next time the tones dropped. On December 31, 2015 his life was cut tragically short. In the weeks that followed his death donations toward the Thor Stish Buckingham Volunteer Fire Memorial Fund flowed in. Nearly $4,000 was donated in his memory to a service that captured his heart and would have been a lifelong passion. When we thought about dividing up the funds which would have amounted to just under $1000 for each department, it left us feeling like we could do a little more. Just like Thor would. Anyone who knew Thor knew his big volunteer heart was unstoppable. He would always find a way to help friends and strangers no matter their circumstances. He was strong-willed and kind-hearted and would not stand idly by in the face of suffering if he could help. He was a champion of the underdog, befriending and cherishing the inherent goodness in people. Thor spent much time with friends all over the county and made friends with members of all the VFD’s in Buckingham.
