We’ve lost some good people in the community as of late…

Jim “Shep” Shepherd was a member of the Noon Kiwanis Club and active in several other organizations as well, most notable the veterans groups in town.

Jim was a proud “China Marine” from World War II, but he spent much of his time after the war trying to make this country a better place to live, especially for children.

He had an incredible record of 66 years of perfect attendance with Kiwanis International. If he missed a meeting, he always made sure to work on a service project to make up for the absence.

Jim worked up until he couldn’t anymore on projects for our club. He enjoyed the camaraderie and the Kiwanis mission of “serving the children of the world.” As was said Saturday at his service, Jim was a “doer” who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.

I didn’t know Bruce Conklin as well as I knew Shep, but Bruce was quite active in the community as well, especially when it came to the American Legion.

He was post commander here for several years and then went on to hold several state positions with the Legion.

He had a particular soft spot for veterans’ causes, of course, and worked diligently to improve the lives of those veterans who had been negatively impacted by the ravages of battle.

John “Coach” Colman no longer lived in the community, but the football coach and “SuperSlow Protocol” workout guru made his mark while living here and operating his Champions gym.

Coach, with his raspy voice and rough-around-the-edges persona, was always entertaining and never afraid to give you his opinion. Unfortunately, in his later years dementia and Alzheimer’s took their toll, and Coach was never the same toward the end.

Coach was a good guy who meant well. He loved helping people become better people through dedicated workouts. He was an “old school” football coach who had great admiration for the guys he had coached over the years.

Bob Cegon was a neighbor of ours who passed away unexpectedly prior to Thanksgiving. Bob always had funny stories to tell, loved delving into politics and was quite known for his outdoor Christmas decorations. We will try to live up to the tradition, Bob, but don’t think we’ll ever make it.

Bob was a faithful walker in the neighborhood and he and his wife often hosted neighborhood block parties. He loved helping people and truly enjoyed life. He battled various maladies the past few years but always maintained a positive attitude. He loved his extended family and spending time with them all around the country.

We also lost a good canine member of the community – our dog Veronica. She lived a long and happy life for 16 years (not bad for a larger dog). Veronica was a faithful companion who had a unique personality. She was a princess through and through, but always waiting there for us when we got home. So long, girl.