Steve Bolar passed peacefully at home on July 9 at 3 am.

Everyone is sharing Steve stories so here is mine on this sad day.

Steve was a jovial fellow who ran a tight ship at Pipestem State Park. He'd come in daily for his candy bar and check out the store and see how it was looking.

My first year at Pipestem I was driving home one night and saw the State Park truck behind me with the lights flashing.

I pulled over and Steve came up to the window. He was visibly upset and slapping his mag light against his hand.

"Do you know what the speed limit is in the park?" he asked me.

"35" I guessed even though it's posted everywhere.

"It's 30 and do you know how fast you were going?" he replied.

"30?" I said hopefully.

"I clocked you at 48," he answered. "If you want to continue to work at this park, you better slow it way down."

The next day I was telling everyone. They asked me if he had his Smokey the Bear hat on and when I said yes told me he was in policeman mode.

Well, I was terrified of even seeing him again and when he came in for his candy bar, I aoplogised profusely. He just laughed and made an offhand comment about "the NASCAR driver." He knew I'd never go over 30 mph again.

That's the kind of man he was.

I will remember him standing at the doorway to the lodge, greeting people with "Welcome to West Virginia."

Steve, you will be missed for a very long time.