Jon Laging, Sports Columnist

Three people died this last month. I didn’t know them, but I certainly enjoyed what they accomplished. One, of course, was Kirby Puckett. The others, less well known to the Minnesota sports public were Don Knotts and even lesser known Darren McGavin.

Don Knotts’ portrayal of Barney Fife was a masterpiece. He took a mirror to our insecurities and held them up for viewing. Barney was just like us only more so. He meant well and you could tell he had a good upbringing.

&8220;His heart was in the right place.&8221; However, Barney’s faults were magnified. In a tight situation he became tight. His feelings were easily hurt and his ego bloomed without much cause. Barney Fife was subject to all kinds of human frailties, but through Don Knotts’ artistry they were made funny. Don Knotts had to know a lot about the human condition, because even with all those problems, Barney Fife would celebrate life at the slightest pretext.

Darren McGavin usually portrayed a hard-boiled detective, but he did it with understanding. His detective was an ordinary guy doing the best he could. McGavin’s best role was the father in &8220;The Christmas Story&8221; in which he played a father a lot of us would enjoy being. Both through writing or acting, McGavin was able to embody a man going through trials and tribulations, but enjoying life to the utmost.

Kirby Puckett touched lives almost always for the better. He brought joy to thousands through his interaction with people and millions through his baseball accomplishments.

I was in Kansas during the Twins&8217; World Series wins in 1987 and 1991. In &8216;87 I felt the team had a good shot at the pennant with the addition of reliever Jeff Reardon. It seemed to me that with Reardon joining Blyleven and Viola they had enough pitching to add to the hitting of Hrbek and Puckett to win it all. The odds were 150 to 1 against the Twins and I spent all spring and part of the summer trying to get a small amount of money to Vegas. I didn’t succeed.

The two wins brought Minnesotans together like nothing else. In &8216;87 my son called me in Kansas from Minnesota after the last out. In &8216;91 I called him. I will never forget Kirby Puckett winning the Series for the Twins. We celebrated being Minnesotans.

My wife chased me outside to calm down while I was watching that series’ seventh game. While out in the dark, that cool October night I heard geese passing overhead on their way south. That helped put things in perspective. I think that moment later helped me realize how the catch or home run in the sixth game are not the primary things we should remember about Kirby Puckett, but rather his exuberance. How he lived life to the fullest. He was not perfect, but as his ex-wife said, he did so many more good things than bad. He allowed us to share his joy.

There was an article in the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune on how the Japanese celebrate the beautiful short ephemeral moments of life such as cherry blossom time. Kirby Puckett’s life was just for a short time and when you think of all the years of human history, our lives too are fleeting and fragile, whether you live to be 95 or 45. Therefore, I think Kirby would tell us celebrate life, don’t hide in the dark, but come into the sunshine for whatever time we have.

We loved Kirby Puckett, not so much for what he did, but for what he was. He displayed the joy of life.