By WIBW TV's Kimberly Donahue
COUNCIL GROVE, Kan. (WIBW) - Council Grove is mourning the loss of two people killed in a motorcycle wreck early Wednesday morning.
City leaders said 28-year old Max Byram and 20-year-old Jordan Kelly were known and loved by many residents.
Messages of love and remembrance fill the front of BG’s Bar and Grill, where both victims worked.
“Jordan was just sweet she was always a kind person good to everyone always had a smile for everyone, nice girl,” Council Grove’s Mayor Debi Schwerdtfeger recalled. “Max had a magic about him, he’d come up with an idea and follow it through.”
Byram was running in the city’s mayoral election.
Schwerdtfeger, the incumbent, said their working relationship is a testament to their shared goals of putting the community first.
“When you have a town this size, you have to work together to make things happen and even though sometimes we’ll look at the calendar and see five things have been scheduled at the same time, we’d come together and figure out what’s going to be done and what’s not going to be done,” she said.
“That’s one of the nice things about our town.”
Susan Harris, who works for the Council Grove Chamber of Commerce, knew of Max’s community passion firsthand.
“He didn’t know a stranger and was everyone’s friend, working for the Chamber of Commerce, he saw the needs of this community and was passionate about this community,” she recounted.
“He’s passionate about all these new businesses that they succeed and how to bring people to town and show people what a wonderful town Council Grove is.”
Schwerdtfeger said showing love to one another will keep the victims’ memories alive.
“Remember that life is short be kind to your neighbor hug your loved ones and remember that we all are important to each other.”