He was affectionately known as the “unofficial mayor” of Galloway Township, and for many children in the community, he was a father figure. On Saturday, March 31, the community lost one of its most recognizable citizens when Junious Glover died.

“All I know is he died in his sleep,” his wife, Cheryl Glover, said on Tuesday afternoon.

Cheryl and Junious, known as Jun, were married for nearly nine years, and met 13 years ago. They had three sons and one daughter together, but the entire community is feeling the loss of the fatherly figure.

“He could be out somewhere, and if he saw someone struggling to breathe or who looked like they needed help, he would attend to them right there on the spot,” Cheryl Glover said. “That was just in his nature. If anyone was sick, he was the first one there to make sure they were OK, and that members of their family were OK.”

She described him as a very sensitive guy, and “a great man who was a good dad to his kids.”

“He worked with the whole youth,” of the community, Cheryl Glover said.

“The kids loved him, from the six-year-olds to the high school kids,” said Chuck Endicott, who not only coached alongside Glover with the Galloway Renegades Youth Football team, but also coached Glover when he was a member of the Mustangs. “He was great with the kids. He was younger than the (other coaches), and he would jump right in there with them. He was involved 110 percent.

“He would give you the shirt off his back.”

Glover, who also coached Galloway Mustangs wrestling and worked with the Holy Spirit High School wrestling team, would have been 32 on Monday.

“I knew him when he was younger,” Endicott said. “I coached him when he was 10 and 11 years old. … His family was always involved in sports. He was always happy.”

Glover played high school football at Absegami. He was also a wrestler, was on the track and field team, and was a member of student council.

"He was one year ahead of me," said Mtume Goodrum, who wrestled with Glover. "I've known him since I was 14. We wrestled together, and then later on, we ran clubs together."

Goodrum, who competes in Mixed Martial Arts, started the Spartan summer wrestling club. Glover ran the club, and the two worked together to coordinate which wrestlers would compete in which summer tournaments. They worked with children of all ages.Before that, Glover coached the Holy Spirit High School wrestling team.

"It seemed like he was the coach of every team in Galloway," Goodrum said. " ... It's hard to find someone in South Jersey who doesn't know who he is."

He graduated from Absegami in 1998, and attended Atlantic Cape Community College. According to Cheryl Glover, he was a Patient Care Assistant at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for 15 years.

"It's shocking when you lose people," Goodrum said. "He was only one year older than me. It really puts things in perspective. You never know how long you're going to be here."

“He meant so much to our community,” said Jack Foulkes, who knew Glover through wrestling. “He was an amazing guy. He epitomizes what it means to be a member of the community. … He made a lot of people’s lives better. He showed you how to live the right way.”

“Everybody was friends with him,” Mayor Don Purdy said. “He gave and gave and gave back, and never asked for anything in return. … It’s a big loss for his family, the community and the kids.”

“He knew everybody,” said Deputy Mayor Tony Coppola, whose eight-year-old was friends with two of Glover’s children. “He was a special person.”

 “He was well-respected and well-known,” Endicott said. “We’ve had other football organizations (in the Cape May County Junior Football League) reach out to us and let us know they’d be willing to do anything to help.”

Robin Bowles organizes fundraising for the Galloway Renegades, and has set up an account in which donations can be made to the Glover Family through Cape Bank in Galloway, in lieu of flowers. Funeral arrangements will be held at Mainland Baptist Church on a date and time to be announced.

“He was automatically a part of my family,” Bowles said. “Every week, he was part of our routine, whether it was wrestling or football. Our kids go to school together. … I never saw him mad, or angry or upset. He was one of the most positive people I knew. He never looked at anything in a negative way.

“He was such a natural part of my life. It’s unnatural not having him around.”

Any questions, ideas or support may be directed to Bowles by calling 609-576-2543.