In Honor of Assistant Fire Chief Robert R. Shick Jr.

Walnuttown Fire Company — Berks County, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: April 4, 2026

Assistant Fire Chief Robert R. Shick Jr. served with a kind of devotion that didn’t need to be announced — it was simply who he was. He was the man who showed up early, stayed late, and made sure no one felt alone in the work. He carried the heart of a firefighter and the steadiness of a leader, and he offered both freely to the people of Walnuttown.

On April 4, 2026, he responded alongside Chief Jeffory Buck to search for a missing woman — a mission rooted in care, not crisis. It was the kind of call that reveals the true nature of service: quiet, patient, and deeply human. Assistant Chief Shick stepped into that moment with the same commitment he brought to every call.

As the two chiefs traveled in the department’s UTV along Kutztown Road, a Toyota Camry veered off the roadway and struck them head‑on. Assistant Chief Shick was transported to Reading Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. His life ended in the very act that defined him — answering the needs of others without hesitation.

He was known for his reliability, his calm presence, and the way he lifted the people around him. He mentored younger firefighters with patience and pride, teaching them not only how to fight fire, but how to carry themselves with integrity. He was the kind of leader who made a department stronger simply by being part of it.

Assistant Chief Shick leaves behind a family, a firehouse, and a community who will feel his absence in every corner of their days. His loss is not just the loss of a firefighter — it is the loss of a man who lived his life in service, who gave more than he ever asked for, and who stood shoulder‑to‑shoulder with his chief until the very end.

Today, we honor a life lived with courage and compassion.
A man who served without fanfare, who led without ego, and who gave everything he had to the people he loved and the community he protected.

Rest easy, Assistant Chief Shick.
We’ll carry your light forward.