This is for Arnold Keith Harrell II, but If you grew up around Lake Charles, you probably just knew him as Bubba.

He was born there in the fall of 1981 and he was the kind of guy who just belonged to the outdoors. He made a living as a landscaper and he was good at it because he actually cared about the work. He was the guy you’d see out in his own yard on a Saturday morning, making sure every blade of grass was just right, not because he had to but because he took real pride in it. He was a son and a brother and a friend who didn’t need to say much to let you know he was there for you. He had a steady way about him that made people feel like things were handled.

But if you really want to know who Bubba was, you have to look at his son Asher. The best of Bubba lives on in Asher.

One of the best stories his family looks back on is about the time Bubba wanted to do something nice for his sister Jodi’s birthday. He wasn’t a baker and he wasn’t a guy you’d usually find fussing around a kitchen, but he decided he was going to bake a surprise cake. He got Asher to help him and they spent the day whispering and making a mess and keeping a secret. To see a man like Bubba, who was usually out taming a yard, covered in flour just to make a kid laugh and a loved one feel special says everything you need to know about his heart.

When he passed away this past December at only forty two years old, it hit everyone like a ton of bricks. It is just a massive hole that he left behind. His dad and his sister Jodi and the rest of the family are carrying a lot of weight right now. He is back with his mom Susan now and he is with the family members who went on ahead of him, but that doesn't make it any easier for the people still here. He was the kind of person you just expected to always be around, leaning against a truck or playing with Asher in the yard.

The family says if you want to remember him, just look for the color red. It was his favorite and it was just part of who he was. They see him when they see a red bird on a fence or a bright red sunset at the end of a long day. He’d want to be remembered for his smile and the way he loved his family and the way he always showed up. Bubba’s life ended way too soon, but the love he had for Asher and the memories of those quiet days in the sun are going to stay with everyone forever. He was just a good man who loved his boy and that is a pretty great way to be remembered.

Bubba’s greatest work wasn’t a yard or a garden, but the man he was helping his son Asher become. Every time you see a father and son sharing a secret or a laugh, you will know a little bit of Bubba is still right there with them.