The Scholarship
Larry Pfeifer was a lifelong public servant who valued education. He was raised by working class parents in Beaverton, OR before attending Southern Oregon College (now Southern Oregon University) where he was a live-in intern with the Ashland Fire Department and spent the summers in Northern California fighting wildfires. He became a full-time firefighter/paramedic after graduating from college and eventually took a job with Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue in suburban Portland. He would go on to achieve the rank of Captain and serve the community for over 20 years, up until his retirement at age 55. Over his career, Larry mentored hundreds of fledgling firefighters and encouraged them to always remain students of the craft, to continue learning new techniques to further their skills as firefighters and first responders. He impressed the pursuit of academic excellence on his children and those around him at all times. When Larry died unexpectedly at age 60, it seemed fitting to establish a scholarship in his name to assist in the schooling of the State of Oregon’s next generation of fire and EMS personnel. We invite all those pursuing a career in fire service or paramedicine who hold themselves to high academic standards to apply for this scholarship. We hope that you will work diligently to carry on Larry’s legacy of educational excellence and helping those in need in your community.