On May 15 at 11 a.m., the community said goodbye to John Jasper Love. He was remembered by all for being a great man, a jack of all trades, and someone that could always be depended on no matter what. Today, I am remembering him as my friend.

When we were younger, Jasper and I were best friends, like a brother and a sister. When I had questions pertaining to boys, I would ask Jasper and when he had questions pertaining to girls, he would ask me. We used to share all kinds of secrets; there was nothing we couldn’t talk about. Once he took me for a ride on his motorcycle. The first and last time! I was a nervous wreck and he laughed and laughed. When Jasper laughed he displayed the prettiest, white teeth I ever saw. We were close friends from the ages of 9 through 18 — the age I left Victoria. When I returned home, although we still occasionally saw each other, life took us in different directions and the closeness we once had faded away. There were no hard feelings, we were just no longer kids and like many childhood best friends, we grew up and grew apart. But even though it has been over six decades since we hung out, shared secrets, or laughed like we use to, it is still hard to say goodbye to my friend. Jasper, there are so many memories of you that you will never be forgotten. Goodbye, my friend I will always love you.

Mary Simmons is a columnist for The Kenbridge-Victoria Dispatch. She can be reached at ABoxofLoveKVD@gmail.com