Refill with Randy – Remembering a community servant, Jonathan Doherty
Today I would like to share a little about my friend Jonathan Doherty. To anyone who lived in the Albion area, was a part of ARC, or simply needed tickets sold to your next event, Jonathan was no stranger.
He was known for his kind spirit and his servant’s heart. It was a year ago that he passed and so I wanted to share something that I wrote at that time as a tribute to his memory.
Call Jonathan… I can’t tell you how many times I received a text or a DM with that message. And when I would call Jonathan back it was more often than not because he: wanted a ride somewhere, wanted me to bring him a coffee (a frequent request), wanted to remind me of an upcoming event, wanted to let me know how I could be praying for him or for someone else, wanted to encourage me (he did this more times than I could count), or wanted to let me know that The Bills were going to win.
Sometimes I would laugh because his urgency for me to call him back was often the same whether he was hurt and wanting prayer or if he was at Tim Hortons wanting me to buy a ticket to the latest church dinner. No matter what the reason was though he always started off with, “Hey buddy” followed by a quick explanation for his call.
I would love to get one of those messages again. I would love to hear his voice and his signature laugh. I would love to see him walking down the road and offer him a lift. I would love to grab him an X-Large Coffee w/ 4 Cream at Tim Hortons. I would love to get a reminder from him that we have coffee group coming up (we still meet at Tim Hortons every 2nd Monday and Tuesday of the month @10:45am if you want to join us).
Unfortunately those opportunities are no more but still present are the opportunities to honor Jonathan by living life to the fullest, exuding kindness, becoming an advocate for those who may not look or act the same as we do, supporting and promoting local organizations, and helping to facilitate fellowship between a broad spectrum of individuals. The next time you buy a ticket for a fundraiser, grab a coffee at Tim Hortons, or root for The Purple Eagles or The Bills, remember Jonathan. I know I will and I hope it continues to bring a smile to my face each and every time. Miss you buddy
