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I'm at WILLow LeaVes purposely sitting at a red table in a corner, The Robertson Table. Often, John and Shirley would be there enjoying one another, the company of others, the food, the atmosphere, and the feeling of knowing of their roles in WILLow LeaVes being a successful business. Of course, John would always have coffee. According to Shirley, he liked his coffee at any time during the day.

John's dad, Ward, John's mom, Jomyla, John, John's sons, Skip and Steve, spent hours at the family business, Robertson's Plumbing, that moved from the west side to the north side of the square in 1958, presently WILLow LeaVes, and that building has now been owned by the Robertson family for 66 years. Ward eventually extended the building close to the alley. Steve recalls operating the cash register at a very young age. Major's True Value was there from 1978-1999, and Spencer Gross has many fond and interesting memories starting as a young boy, one being how the front of the store was rearranged by a disoriented driver. Later, it was a Youth Center with the Robertsons being quite generous. WILLow LeaVes has been there for nine years, and the Wasson sisters, Vickie, Lisa, and Laura, and their wonderful helpers always make sure it is a special place. The dining room is appropriately called Jomyla's. The sisters will tell you that Jomyla makes her presence known at times, and I don't think they will be surprised if John does the same.

I got to know John and Shirley through attending the same church together, Hope United Methodist Church, where John had several positions with one being a trustee for many years. We were a part of many Bible and Book Studies. John didn't very often say much with his preference being listening; his presence was always inspirational enough! When he did speak, we all listened due to his experiences, knowledge, and wisdom. I recall the last study John attended in the Hope Library Annex. The book was “The Final Summit” by Andy Andrews. Afterward, John told me that Andy was now one of his favorite authors which was a huge compliment to Andy considering John was an avid reader of several authors. “Do something” is stressed at the end of the book, and I don't think John would mind if suggesting it was one of his several mottoes in life. Toward the end, there is a declaration which John really liked and contains simple yet keys to life: “Right now, I will do something for my family. Right now, I will do something for my friends. Right now, I will do something for those who do not even know my name.”

I thought the motto selected by the family on the Norman Funeral Home memorial card was very much on target for John too: “Love the Lord and never hide that love. You don't have to be loud and boast about it. Just live it!”

I want to return to these mottoes. John was very much a doer. He proudly served in the navy on a ship, the USS Toledo (CA-133), a heavy cruiser. According to Shirley, he was hesitant to share about the time the ship was in a typhoon, and he volunteered to go below to work on welds that had broken apart and that had put the ship in danger of sinking. He was a plumber on the ship but could weld. I'm not surprised at all about John being hesitant to talk about it due to thinking it would sound boastful.

But that example is the way John lived his life. If there was a problem, he would try to quietly find a remedy. I suspect John was that way when serving on the Hope Town Council for several years. I have heard story after story how John and Shirley have helped local organizations and individuals in our community. When they were much younger, their yard and house was opened up to the neighborhood kids with Kool-Aid provided, something I found out while visiting a week before John's time on this earth ended. There was laughter and smiles as we shared that evening, in particular our snake encounters, an evening I will always fondly remember. And, there were a lot of great memories shared by family and friends at John's Celebration of Life at Hope United Methodist Church with the church full of people. John and Shirley were always hopeful for such a crowd when attending almost every Sunday, and it was an endearing way to show last respects.

It seems appropriate to end with a quote from “The Noticer” by Andy Andrews, a study John wanted to attend: “Your time on this earth is a gift to be used wisely. Don't squander Your words or Your thoughts. Consider that even the simplest actions you take for Your lives matter beyond measure … and they matter forever.”

Jay Rominger stated that John called him “friend” frequently. John had a lot of friends, and I, like many others, am better for being one. He quietly taught me many lessons with one of the most important being a part of and continuing the giving circle. It is one of the best ways to honor John. He would very much want me to stress that point, that there are numerous ways to give during our time on this earth.

** Note: John celebrated two birthdays every year for several years. Avery Tallent, Ben Cleland, and I collaborated on a special CD project which features John on the cover with a red phone and the song “One In A Million” which can be found on YouTube Avery Tallent One In A Million.