If they asked me...

If they asked me to write about a memory of John, this is how it would go....

I've known John throughout school. He was always the clown. The one in AG who, when Mr Clark said "Don't do this" he was the one who did it just to see what happened. John was the one who in Washington DC would take pictures on our tour bus, even though the driver asked us to refrain from flash photography, and the cops pulled us over because they thought the bus's emergency flashers were on. And, John was the one against whom our sponsor retaliated by throwing popcorn in his mouth while he snored on the train!!!! Of all the school memories of John, and they are all happy ones, the ones I will treasure most are from more recent history.

Our graduating class had not seen each other in 15 years. One day I ran into Connie in Wal-Mart. She talked to John, I talked to some people, and those people talked to some others. They talked to some more others. We managed to pull together a class reunion in the fall of last year. We had a wonderful time. I remember John's heart-felt thanks at being able to see his old buddies again.

In the months following, whenever I heard from John, he was always happy. He was always praising his wife Connie for the good job she did raising their two beautiful children. He was so proud of Magan and Emily. At our last reunion, John was a very devoted husband to Connie, who wasn't feeling very well. His first concern was taking care of her when she locked her keys in her car. He was jovial and friendly, as he was anytime I talked to him.

The news of his death shocked us all. John will be missed by everyone. Please pray for this family. Connie, age 34; Magan, age 10; Emily, age 3 and the peaceful rest of the soul of John McGehee.