Dave the Fish Guy

There was a different feeling at Church today. I learned the sad news this morning that Dave Hibbert, a long-time member of our ward and friend to everybody, had passed away on Saturday in his home. If you weren't privileged to have known Brother Hibbert, there is not much that I could ever say on this post that would do his life and his legacy justice. Everybody that knew him loved him. Everybody, including me.

I would never try to eulogize him or give his life story on a blog because I could never say enough; however, I feel that it's important to recognize wonderful people and the wonderful things they do. Among his many many years of Church service, he most recently was released as a Counselor in the Bishopric, a calling that I have held now for about a month. I am desperately trying to fill the giant shoes of Brother Hibbert.

For the last few years in our ward, Brother Hibbert was most famous for two things: First, he was the person to avoid if you didn't want to speak in Sacrament Meeting, and second, he always carried red swedish fish in his suit pocket to hand out to the young children. The Primary kids (and sometimes the older kids like me) knew they could always count on Brother Hibbert for a sugar pick-me-up. Except for Fast Sunday, he always had these candy fish with him. He would hold the fish in his closed fist and wouldn't give the fish away until the appropriate response was given to his famous question, "Who's the Greatest?" I have watched now for 8 years as all three of my children have weekly sought out Brother Hibbert and completed the red fish ritual. Some friends of ours in the ward have two very young sons. The older of their two boys made it be known to his parents that he had named his teddy bear, Dave the Fish Guy. He undoubtedly had received countless red swedish fish from Dave Hibbert, the Fish Guy. There are not many things more important to a 2 year old than his teddy bear, and for him to name that teddy bear after Dave Hibbert is quite a tribute.

I was sitting on the stand and looking at the faces of our ward congregation as our Bishop made the announcement of his passing. The grief and the pain and the sadness in the faces of Dave's friends upon learning of his death is something that I will never forget and I was reminded of Russell M. Nelson's words, "The only way to take the sorrow out of death is to take the love out of life."

There are many good men in the world, I get to meet them on a daily basis. I have come to know that there are very few great men. Brother Hibbert was one of the great ones. I mourn today because of his passing and look forward to the day that I can see him again and enjoy a red swedish fish with him. I am grateful that I was able to know and love Dave Hibbert, the Fish Guy.