In the two cleared engine bays of Station 36 in Bayview, it was akin to being in Gary Gabelein’s home.

His wife and three children were all there Tuesday night, and he was surrounded by friends in a familiar setting. He spent countless hours working in that three-bay hall that had a leaky roof and was a mite cold most of the time.

After 43 years, many memories had been made at Station 36. His years of service are the third most in the district’s history, behind Carl Simmons’ 50 years and Gordon Simmons’ 47. Such long volunteer careers are uncommon in South Whidbey Fire Chief Rusty Palmer’s 39 years of experience.

“When you get into the 40s and the 50s, it’s pretty rare,” he said.

Dozens of people, many still active volunteers and employees of South Whidbey Fire/EMS (previously named Island County Fire District 3) attended Gabelein’s retirement party.

They celebrated his storied career that spanned more than four decades. Gabelein, 64, was presented with several gifts from the fire district: a new ID card that states its expiration date as “RETIRED,” a framed badge, his helmet,  last name patch worn on the back of his jacket, and a bust depicting a fireman saving a child with placards reading “firefighter” “battalion chief” “fire commissioner” and his dates of service.

The brevity of each description belied the late-night injuries and fires he responded to, the long meetings as commissioner and his duties as battalion chief. But the short titles match the measured words of Gabelein himself, who on his profile page at www.swfe.org wrote that he’s with South Whidbey Fire because “I enjoy helping people,” and that others should volunteer because of “Helping the community and the people in the area.” After hearing from some fire district colleagues, Gabelein was cheered on for a quick speech, and he did not disappoint them.

“Go ahead and eat,” Gabelein told the crowd, motioning toward a table covered in cakes and treats.

“To the volunteers, thank you for doing what I like to do,” he added.

When the lifelong Whidbey man and retired ferry captain officially hung up his hat Dec. 31, 2014, he had one final response to a car crash. Palmer recalled seeing him that day and Gabelein telling him it would be his last. But Palmer knew better and asked him what he would do if another call came in later that day.

“He said, ‘I’ll probably show up,’ ” Palmer said.

Palmer and other people who worked closely with Gabelein said his willingness and dependability were his greatest assets. For 18 years Gabelein served as a fire commissioner, with his last bid for election being a loss in 2009. Even then, he became the board of volunteer firefighters’ representative and attended many of the monthly fire commissioner meetings.

“Gary showed up always,” Palmer said.

“He’s been to almost more commissioner meetings than I have,” he later added.

That was, at times, a thorn in the commissioners’ sides, both parties admitted. As Gabelein addressed the crowd, he joked that the fire district’s elected officials can expect to now have fewer home phone calls from him as they once received. Mostly, however, Gabelein was grateful to have never lost a South Whidbey firefighter or emergency medical technician while on duty.

Robert Frey, a Station 36 lieutenant, praised Gabelein for all he taught him over the past several years. During their estimated 400 calls responded to together, Gabelein drove the engine, and Frey typically rode shotgun.

“The great thing with Gary is it was always simple,” he said, telling the story of every time they pulled away from the station and to the intersection of Kramer Road and Highway 525, that Gabelein would tell him they can either go right or left.

“I always had 100 percent confidence in Gary,” Frey said.

Frey and the Bayview crew made Gabelein a wooden display case that holds a fire axe, taken off one of the Station 36 rigs, and attached a plaque to it. The plaque reads “FIRST IN LAST OUT” and thanks him for 43 years of dedicated service. Anyone who had served in Station 36, located near Hanson’s Building Supply, was asked to sign the back of the case, which became covered in messages and signatures throughout the celebration.

“He was a fixture,” Frey said. “You could rely on Gary to get there.”

Gabelein and his family recalled one infamous night when he did not respond to a call. Many years ago a call came in late, and as Gabelein ran out to his car, he fell and hit his head, losing his radio and keys. When he returned to the house, his daughter Gwendy realized he was bleeding profusely from his head. After placing towels in his son’s new car to keep it from being stained, Gabelein said he received medical care.

“I got to the hospital before the injured guy,” Gabelein said.

Many well-wishers greeted Gabelein the rest of the night, took pictures with him and shared stories of going to calls together. Gabelein, all smiles, basked in one final sendoff at Station 36, his second home.

“It’s been fun,” he said.