The Bay Area is mourning two public servicemen today.
U.S. Forest Service Firefighter Thomas Marovich died during a training exercise in Modoc National Forest on July 21. The 20-year-old fell to his death while learning how to rappel from a helicopter. Marovich died just two days after two helicopter pilots walked away from a crash while fighting a fire in the same area.
Marovich’s funeral was held at 10:30 Thursday morning in Hayward. Mourners then walked in a procession from the church to the burial site. The U.S. Forest Service said the helicopter Marovich was assigned to performed a fly-over during the burial.
The California Department of Transportation is mourning Don Lichliter, a 27-year employee of Caltrans. A truck hit and killed the 53-year-old tree maintenence crew supervisor while he was fertilizing trees along state Highway 99 July 23.
Lichliter is the first Caltrans employee to die while on the job this year said Lauren Wonder, Caltrans spokeswoman.
Caltrans employees gathered at a San Leandro maintenance yard at 8 a.m. to drive in a convoy to Lichliter’s funeral. The convoy was escorted by the California Highway patrol.
