Day 1067: In honor of John

Our dear friend and neighbor, John, passed away on Sunday.  He was a noble, loving man who was devoted to his wife, family, and community.  He was the father of five, including our friend, Ellen, and the grandfather of ten, including our friends Margaret, Jake and Clare.

John served as a village trustee for eight years and as chairman of the planning board for many years.  He also served as a professor in the education department at the college.  He was known as a man of great intellect and integrity.  Everyone trusted him and respected him.  He was the rare professor who bridged that college-community divide.  But, I didn't know him in any of his official capacities.  I only knew him as our friend and father of folks we love.

Whenever I was working in the front yard, John would stop by to visit for a few minutes.  "Looks great!" he'd say.  "Do you hire out?"  If I was carrying my camera while we were out walking, he'd want to know what I was photographing.  He loved stories about the heron in Canadaway Creek.   If I didn't have it, he'd say, "Hey, where's your camera?"  I wish I had taken more photos of John and Claire when we were talking together.

John and Claire

At the harvest dinner in Brocton in 2012

John was the first in the neighborhood to notice and alert everyone about the cottony mildew on the maple trees.  Whenever something interesting happened in the neighborhood, we'd stand out on the street and talk.  One of our funniest encounters was when a few of the other neighbors were having disputes over their swimming pools and out buildings.  He was always good natured and kind in his comments.

Thank you, John, for your friendship and service, for being a role model for your children and grandchildren and the entire community. We will miss you very much.