Just John: Former state Sen. John Kerr an example for others to follow

Former state Sen. John Kerr won't be remembered just because of his titles and his legislative career -- although that would be enough to secure him a place in the history books.

He will not be remembered because of his stature or the way his presence filled a room -- although plenty of stories have been told about just that this week.

And although the accomplishments are massive, it is not the many projects that he spearheaded, pushed through and stood his ground to make sure got done that will create his legacy.

What John Kerr accomplished will be measured in the number of lives he touched -- and the memories and life stamps he left with them.

That doesn't happen by sitting behind a desk in the state capitol. And you don't make those kinds of lasting impacts on the campaign trail, either.

You do it by being accessible -- and present.

John Kerr knew his community and he fought for his constituents. It did not matter who they were, how much money they had or what party affiliation was on their voter registration.

He was "hired" to care for his county and his state, and he did everything in his power to make sure that he did the very best job he could.

And he knew that "very best job" meant more than simply shaking a hand and kissing a baby.

It meant he had to get his hands dirty -- sometimes literally. It meant long hours on the road and on the telephone. It meant giving up personal time to work on a project.

It would be hard to fathom how many pounds of barbecue John Kerr ate over the years or how many hands he shook -- and how many times he spent time with youngsters who were way too young to vote.

He was there for the good times, and a source of comfort for the bad.

He was the people's legislator -- in the very real sense of the word.

It would have been easy to do it the other way. After decades of service, he could have ridden the coattails from those early years. He could have slowed down and turned a few constituent concerns over to an underling in his office.

He would have been tough to beat anyway.

But that is not how John Kerr worked.

Trust, integrity and hard work were what he promised his constituents, and that is what he gave them up until his last days in office.

There is a reason he was such a sought-after adviser to others who serve. He was a role model, an example of wisdom mixed with a good old-fashioned bit of horse sense.

When he made a promise, it was as good as gold. And when he shook a hand, it was his bond.

There are not many like him.

His family has other memories -- of a jovial spirit, a loving family man and a father and grandfather who knew what was most important in life.

Our hearts are with them as they navigate the rest of their lives without him. We cannot imagine the loss they feel.

But we know, as they do, that the measure of a man lies not in the dollars in his bank account, the number of titles on his card or the number of years he lived.

What makes a person unforgettable and immortal is the legacy he leaves behind.

For John Kerr, that is a man whose smile shone, whose spirit was indomitable and who showed others how it should be done.

He had a servant's heart, by every measure.

He will live on in every story and every milestone celebrated.

And, in turn, to honor him, we will do what we are sure he would charge us with if he could talk to us now.

We will take care of his county and his state -- no matter what affiliation is listed on our voter registration cards.

He would expect no less.

Published in Editorials on June 2, 2015 11:29 AM