We want to pause today to remember a good man.

David Jaffre, 46, was a teacher, a coach, a father and a husband, to name a few things.

The Gilmer County High School baseball coach died of an apparent heart attack Tuesday during his team's postseason game against Doddridge County.

A pall hung over the rural county Wednesday. The emotions ranged from lingering shock to helpless sadness.

And most of all, an encompassing sense of loss.

Mr. Jaffre, says Gilmer County Superintendent Rick Butler, was "one of the good guys." Butler also considered Mr. Jaffre "probably the best social studies teacher I ever saw operate."

Other Gilmer residents recalled Mr. Jaffre's activities in the community, and many pointed to him as a "real asset" to the Gilmer County school system in his 22 years of teaching at the high school.

He also was known for his sense of humor and a dry wit that made the students laugh, and he was repeatedly voted favorite teacher by the senior class when they chose the senior superlatives.

He also often held the children's sermon on Sunday at a local Baptist Church.

"Everything he did, he did with passion," said David Bishop, Gilmer County school board director and a former co-worker of Jaffre. "His basic character would allow nothing but excellence in terms of what he expected from himself and his students. They loved him."

If the measure of a man is how he touches others, Mr. Jaffre measured up in a big way.

We are saddened by his death, and pass along our condolences to his family and all those who loved him.

We hope you'll pause for a moment today to remember him, too.

Today's editorial reflects the opinion of the Exponent editorial board, which is comprised of James G. Logue, Kevin S. Courtney, Patrick M. Martin, Matt Harvey and J. Cecil Jarvis.