Those who knew the late Dave Kayser recall him as the type of individual who was generous and helpful. Kayser was someone they knew would help with anything.

Kayser, however, was not someone who would ask for help.

Perhaps because he was so reluctant to ask for help, the detached garage at his Fort Dodge home wasn’t properly finished when he died March 20 at age 61. That garage stood without proper siding.

A group of his friends took care of that shortcoming Saturday afternoon.

Dozens of people converged on the property and put up new siding. They also did some general cleanup.

Castor Construction and CEC Electric, two Fort Dodge, companies, also had personnel at the Kayser home, volunteering their professional expertise.

Steve Pederson, of Fort Dodge, was a friend of Kayser for more than 25 years, and he summed up for The Messenger what motivated the group to spend an afternoon working on the garage.

”Dave was generous and a friend to anybody,” he said.”He never took the time to finish his own garage. He was too busy helping everyone else. This is one last payback.”

Carol Linder, one of Kayser’s sisters who was present for the project, described the outpouring of support as ”amazing.”

This project was a classic example of Iowans helping each other. That is a basic way of life in our state, which sets it apart from others.

And those volunteers may be done with the garage, but they will never be done cherishing the memory of Dave Kayser.