The Grass Valley Fire Department has lost one of its best storytellers.

As residents mourned the death Saturday of former fire chief and mayor Edward John Tellam, they also recalled his yarns.

“At chief nights and board (of fire delegates) meetings, he would tell stories of what had occurred in the history of the system,” recalled retired city battalion chief Tom Browning.

Here's one story Browning remembers Tellam telling:

“This was back in the days when the telephone system needed operators to put the calls through,” Browning prefaced. “There was an accident on South Auburn and Main streets. A fire engine and another vehicle collided right outside the telephone office. The operators all ran outside to see what had happened, and the doors shut behind them, and they were locked out.

“All the phone service was out in the city until they could get someone over there to unlock the doors,” Browning chuckled. “Ed would say, ‘That's how the fire department shut down the phone system in Grass Valley.'”

Tellam joined what eventually became the Grass Valley Volunteer Fire Department in 1955 and was elected chief in 1963 and 1978.

In 1969, Tellam expanded his focus to include City Council, serving as mayor from 1973 to 1977. Marie Johnson, owner of Foothill Flowers, always called him “The Mayor” after that, she said.

“He'd come into the store, and I'd say, ‘Here comes my favorite fellow,' and he'd smile from ear to ear,” Johnson recalled.

In 2008 when it was the turn of Johnson's son, Mark, to lead the city, he awarded Tellam the keys to the city.

“He was the first person I knew, growing up, who was just called The Mayor. That intrigued me,” Mark Johnson said. “Ed had done a lot for the town, as a fireman and chief and later mayor. He had some good advice for me, as well.

“He just had that presence,” Mark Johnson added. “It was an honor to give him the keys to the city.”

That connection among the generations marked Tellam's relationships.

He had driven a truck for Ready Mix Concrete with Tom Browning's father, Browning recalled. “Ed was fire chief when I put my application into the department,” he added.

Years later, Tellam's grandson, Robert Tellam, submitted his application, and it was Browning's turn, by then sitting on the board of fire delegates, who moved to forward the younger Tellam's papers through the process. (Robert Tellam now is an engineer with Nevada County Consolidated Fire Protection District, Browning added.)

Ed Tellam originally had come up through Reliance Hose Co. No. 3, which had its station on Race Street. That was in the days when three fire companies served the city and sent their delegates to the fire board, Browning said.

“That was important to the old guys. They were proud of that,” Browning said.

And it was the bell at the old Reliance station that tolled 84 times at dusk on Saturday for Ed Tellam, once for each year of life, according to the local tradition for passing chiefs.

For the obituary and details on the funeral set for Friday, turn to Page A5.

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To contact Senior Staff Writer Trina Kleist, e-mail tkleist@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4230.