Charles “Chad” Thomas Cate II

Clallam County Fire District #3 Captain Charles “Chad” Thomas Cate II passed away on January 12, 2023 while in the line of duty.

Cate was born in Kanab, Utah. He grew up in Prosser, Washington for 11 years and then lived in Sequim, Washington for the remainder of his youth. Growing up, he loved horses, wrestling and sports and had very fond memories with his brothers and sisters. His blended family dynamic is described as friendly chaos with lots of love. Throughout Cate’s high school career, he enjoyed being a wrestler. As he got older, he became a wrestling referee for local high schools while simultaneously being a firefighter. Cate met his future wife, Renee while she was volunteering with District 2 fire department in Clallam County. They met at the hospital after transporting a patient.

In high school, Cate joined the Fire Explorer Program with Clallam County Fire District #3. He always had a passion for the work of firefighters and emergency medicine. At 19 years old, he was hired as a firefighter, and was the youngest to be hired at the department at the time. His goal when he joined was to grow in leadership, help guide young men who are starting their careers and to teach others. While being a part of the first responder service, he loved interacting with others. His commitment to the community and passion for this job was unmatched. He became an officer, a lieutenant and later achieved the rank of Captain in 2021. Cate served nearly 30 years with the department before succumbing to a sudden cardiac death.

Renee is currently living in Washington and is focusing on raising their son in a happy home. She enjoys gardening and making jewelry. In the future, she hopes to be involved with her community through wrestling as her husband was very passionate about it. She looks forward to watching their son grow, remodeling their home and honoring her husband. The donation of a mortgage-free home from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has been an incredible relief, lifting an immense burden from her shoulders so Renee can focus on raising her son. Lastly, Renee would like people to know how incredibly loved her husband was by the community. He was a dynamic person with a larger than life personality. He was dedicated and committed to serving his community for over half of his life.

Clallam County Fire District #3 Captain Charles “Chad” Thomas Cate II is survived by his wife, Renee and children, Charles T. Cate III, Ashleigh and Harrison. Their family would like to extend their gratitude to Cate’s mother, Brandy, his sister, Roxy and his mother-in-law, Susan, for their unwavering support.