I was a Close friend of the family for many years. Eugene K Smith was one day older than me and we met at Anacapa Junior High School when we were 12 years old we were in all the same classes and I always remember Coach Calvin Houston calling roll in gym class every day going "E Smith, E Smith" Cuz we had Edwin Smith called first and Eugene Smith called second (Alphabetical order). I remember the first day I went to their house after school. His mom made sure we were all fed with Tomato Soup (which I had never tasted in my life) and then it was outside to play follow the leader. Nobody could keep up with Eugene running down a wood fence with a 2x4 cap.
Shortly thereafter I met Big Eugene (Jasper) When Eugene "Kaiser" and Murray Jasper and I were on the same Little League Baseball Team, The Lemonette's,,, where Big Eugene and Glen Young were the Coaches. I was soon stuck with the Nick Name "Scatter Arm" as it was impossible to predict where the ball was going to go when I threw it. About half the time after that when Jasper saw me he'd yell out "Scatter Arm!!!"
By the time the Smiths moved to their new big home above the College I was practically a member of the family, which for me was a good thing as Home life for me wasn't all that great. But the Smith Household was the primary gathering place for virtually everyone in our group of friends, and all of our activities were based there until after High School and there were seldom more Smiths than outsiders at that house on any given evening.
Soon after High School Eugene got hired at the Honda Shop in Ventura, and then all the rest of us got hired there too. Eugene was the Parts Manager, I was the "B" Mechanic, and Steve Bibb was one of the Salesmen. Eugene had talked his dad into buying a new Honda 160 but I don't think Jasper ever rode it but maybe once or twice. Jasper had some pretty long legs and the bike was kind of small for him. I think he was going to ride it back and forth to work at PHD but he never got into it. I believe that Bike eventually got passed down to Conley.
We all had lots of fun at that time. It was the late 60's and everything was changing rapidly, I continued to be close with the family until I got drafted in 1969. In fact we all got drafted at the same time but everyone but me Flunked the Physical. I ran down and Enlisted in the USAF so I wouldn't have to go to Vietnam, so I didn't see anyone from home for 4 years after that and by the time I got out in 1973 everyone had moved on.
Occasionally I would bump into Jasper or Irene at a store in town and say hi but I seldom went by the family house. I moved away to Arizona working for So Cal Edison so I was gone for the next 5-6 years.
I could go on for hours about things that happened at that house, but none of them had much to do with Jasper or Irene, other than they let us do pretty much whatever we wanted. It was more like "Idiot Children" tempting fate on a regular basis and living to tell about it. Our Guardians were working overtime to keep us alive. Which is where we are at right now.... So I'll just quit now.
I tend to look at death as a "Well,,, how long did you live? And what did you do with your life?" kind of thing.
Jasper made it to 99 and raised 7 kids and was an inspiration to more people than I know about!
That is no small accomplishment! I say Well Done !
Goodbye Sir, and maybe well see each other in another life?
William Randall Buchanan (Randy / Scatter Arm)
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