Yesterday I was shocked to hear that a friend had passed. He wasn’t what I would consider a close friend but he was a good friend–if that makes sense.
After reading his obituary I thought of the first time I met him. It was during the summer between my freshman and sophomore years in high school. Back in those days, I spent most of the summer at the outdoor basketball court which sat next to the elementary school in Covington. My best buddy, Joe Hitchcock, and I would spend hours honing our skills on that slab of asphalt during the hottest months of the year.
One afternoon a young man who looked to be our age rode up on his bike. He stood for a few minutes and watched Joe and me work out. Joe whispered in my ear, “That dude is from Bradford.” Back then, Covington and Bradford had a very heated rivalry and “dudes” from Bradford were not welcome in Covington and were especially unwelcome on “Joe and Jay’s” basketball court.
Eventually, this guy walked onto the court and asked if he could join us. I don’t recall what we said to him but I know we were not pleased that this Bradford fella was interrupting our workout. Anyway, from my recollection, he simply took it upon himself to start shooting with us. We eventually asked him what his name was, and he said “John Hershey.” This incident was not a one and done for Hershey–which is what Joe and I called him. He returned several times to the asphalt court over that summer and those that followed and we eventually became friends–he gave us no choice.
After high school, we went our separate ways but by no coincidence, we reconnected when my kids were playing high school basketball. Hershey was a referee. He was one of the few refs I never yelled at–he was too good of a guy. I recall talking with him before one of my daughter’s games and he made me feel as though I was his long-lost friend.
After reading Hershey’s obituary I found I was not alone. Here are a few excerpts:
- He loved having a good time and had a love for making other people smile. John enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.
- John was a faithful follower of Christ and a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Greenville. His love for God could be found in his contagious smiles and actions. John so much appreciated life. He knew every day was a gift, and he would try to squeeze as much as he could into each 24-hour period.
- John was a tremendous people person – He had a boisterous voice. When he was in a room or area you quickly knew it! But if you told him something in confidence, he would keep it quiet. This scripture verse comes to mind when thinking of John and how he lived – Ephesians 4:32 “and be kind to one other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you “
What they should have included in his obituary was; “Back in the 1970’s John Hershey was at the forefront of calming the intense rivalry between the Bradford Railroaders and the Covington Buccaneers by simply being a good guy.”
We need more Hersheys in the world.
R.I.P. Hershey
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
