Douglas Alan McCullough

Fire Captain Douglas Alan McCullough passed away peacefully at the age of 52 on March 19, 2023, after a short but valiant battle with work-related cancer. His loving family and pastor were at his side. Doug McCullough was born in Castro Valley, CA on November 27, 1970, to Richard and Terry McCullough. His family moved to Modesto, CA in 1973. He attended Stanislaus Union elementary school, Prescott Junior High School, Grace M. Davis High School, and Modesto Junior College.

Doug was a man of integrity, bravery, strong faith in the Lord, and an amazing work ethic. As a child he was always intrigued by big machines and equipment from tractors to backhoes, semi-trucks to fire engines. Ultimately, he achieved his dream of driving them. He started a school garden while in 4th grade at Stanislaus Union Elementary School and he started his own lawn service as a teenager. He loved working in the local orchards while finishing high school and attending MJC classes. In 1988, he became a volunteer firefighter for the Salida Fire Protection District. He graduated from Grace M. Davis High School class of 1989. He obtained his Associate of Science degree in Fire Science from Modesto Junior College including earning his Emergency Medical Technician certificate. In 1994, he started his career as a full-time firefighter with Salida Fire Protection District. He established the Salida Fire Protection District Fire Explorer Post 904 in 1995, serving as an advisor to many young men and women, recruiting and training them to the fire service. He helped them to grow professionally and personally. He was promoted to the rank of Fire Captain in 1997. He began serving Modesto Fire Department in 2011, also at the rank of Fire Captain. He had specialized training in technical rescue. He taught the auto extrication and wildland fire content for the Modesto Junior College Fire Academy for many decades. Throughout the years, he helped fight many of the large wildfires occurring in California and the state of Washington, including being a strike team leader for local agencies and the California Office of Emergency Services. He also worked as an EMT for Doctors Ambulance and American Medical Response. He enjoyed every day of his career, knowing the responsibility and impact he had to meet the needs of the communities he served. On each call, he knew that the people entrusted to his care were in a great time of need and he wanted to help make a difference. He treated them with dignity and compassion. He faced every call with bravery and heroism, knowing that ultimately, he could end up laying down his life for someone else. He was known to have a positive attitude and smile on his face at every call he responded to.

His 34 years in the fire service were one of his greatest accomplishments but his greatest joy in life was his family, including his wife Krista, and children Bryan and Makenzie. After their marriage in 2002, Doug and Krista made their home in Ripon, CA. They are members of Immanuel CRC in Ripon. He was a loving and caring husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. He actively volunteered for yard duty while his kids were in grade school, was a leader of Bryan’s Cadet Cadre at Immanuel CRC, and was a swim dad and an active board member for the Ripon Sea Lions swim team including serving as Treasurer and Vice President. He was so proud of Bryan and Makenzie and their biggest supporter for all activities. Doug was known for his positive attitude, hard

work, infectious smile, and eagerness to help others. He was kind, friendly, and easily made conversation with everyone. Doug always had a project around the house or yard he was working on during his time off from work, and often helped friends and family with their projects as well. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and the fire community.

Doug is survived by his wife Krista and their two children, Bryan and Makenzie, his parents Richard and Terry McCullough, mother-in-law Judy (Jake Oosterman) Kamper, sister Christine (Eric) Cole, brother- in-law Derek (Shawna) Kamper, nephews Tyler and Connor Posey, and nieces Ally and Natalie Kamper, uncle Jerald (Jan) Busick and family of Colorado, cousins Rhonda (Dennis) Wheeland and family of California, and Brad (Anita) Rice and family of Texas. Doug is preceded in death by his beloved grandparents Jerald and Jeanette Busick and Howard and Noreen McCullough, father-in-law Jacob Kamper, and aunt Elizabeth Rice.

A Celebration of Life will be held on April 11, 2023, at 11:00 am at the House Church in Modesto located at 1601 Coffee Rd. Modesto, CA 95350. A graveside burial will take place on April 12, 2023, at 10:00 am at Ripon Cemetery. A viewing will take place for family and friends on April 4, 2023, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm at Deegan Ripon Memorial Chapel located at 111 Palm Ave. Ripon, CA 95366.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to California Fire Foundation https://cpf.salsalabs.org/cff-donation/index.html or to the American Cancer Society collaboration with International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) to help fight cancer in the fire service https://donate.cancer.org/?campaign=iaff&lang=en.