Overheard, out and about, Mrs. Grundy sees all, tells all

By Mrs. C.R. Grundy (Contact) | Andalusia Star-News

Published Friday, October 23, 2009

Peeping through my Venetian blind, I simply stood, breathless at the beauty of an October Indian summer with its clear, blue ocean of a sky and its white ships of clouds. Stepping out onto my porch, I took in the cool, crisp air of autumn and thanked God for His undeserved bounty.

A group from Opp attended a Christian celebration October 5 – 8 in Sevierville, Tenn., to hear Dr. David Jeremiah, pastor of Shadow Mountain Church in San Diego, Ca., deliver four messages. He was assisted in worship by Charles Billingsley, worship leader for Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. Chonda Pierce, a Christian comedian, entertained one morning; and Sandi Patty, the best known of female Christian soloists in our day, the lady with an unbelievable voice, presented a concert that evening.

The highlight of the trip was Wednesday night when George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States, spoke. Some l0,000 people were present for the inspiring, patriotic event, which included music by Charles Billingsley, Sandi Patty, a 250-voice choir, and 42 members of the Memphis (Tennessee) Orchestra.

Geraldine Boothe said, “Everyone was spell-bound and proud to be an American.”

Attending from Opp First Baptist were Katie Wilks (who planned the trip), Quinton and Connie Kelley, Earl and Dot Jones, Minnie Adams, Merle Rhodes, Peggy Courson, Margie McDaniel, Martha Chisum, and Geraldine Boothe.

Attending from Opp First United Methodist Church were Bob and Marg Hoffman.

Col. Alvin “Sonny” Moore, retired chaplain, after 34 years in the armed services of our nation, and current interim pastor of First Baptist Church, Enterprise, spoke to the senior adults of First Baptist, Andalusia, Oct. 20 in Fellowship Hall for the seniors’ monthly luncheon. He preached enthusiastically on the importance of teamwork in doing God’s will, presenting a gold coin to Mrs. Neal Wyatt for her identifying two scriptures, used by Colonel Moore, by chapter and verse.

The hall was attractively decorated with scarecrow-and-pumpkin centerpieces and fall colors by the talented Trudy Vickers.

Green’s catered a meal of fried catfish, cheese grits, hush puppies, baked beans, and lemon-iced cake.

Fourteen of the senior adults ate at Hilltop Seafood Restaurant October l5 – Herb and Sue Carlisle, Morgan and Wilma Moore, Martha Griffin, Shirley Harris, Trudy Vickers, Allene Ezzell, Gillis “the Combman” and Laura Ann Jones, Vivian Hickey, Bea Miller, A. G. Palmore, and Gordon Vickers, the self-sacrificing minister to senior adults at First Baptist, who reported that some seniors left more full than others because of eating 16-ounce ribeyes and baked potatoes. Said Vickers, “I did notice a few who had a doggie bag.”

Jimmy Ponds, librarian at Straughn Elementary, president of Alabama-Education-Association teachers in Covington County, and president (for his third year) of teachers in District 24 (Conecuh, Covington, Escambia) of the Alabama Education Association, presided at the district’s monthly meeting Oct. 12 at Reid State Technical College in Evergreen. Also attending from Covington were Perry Dillard, president of the Andalusia Association of Educators, and Joe Wingard, district secretary.

Irene (Davis) Butler honored her younger son, Dr. Rex Butler, Oct. l9, with a day-long, come-and-go reception in his South Central Medical Center, to celebrate his 27th year of medical practice.

At 10 a.m. a wall-to-wall crowd of well-wishers filled the reception area to hear Senator Jimmy Holley, Speaker of the House Seth Hammett, and State Treasurer Kay Ivey read resolutions, honoring Dr. Butler. Ivey, a candidate for governor, proclaimed Dr. Butler “a state treasure.” Neatly clad in his white, medical coat, four-in-hand, and a red “bout,” Dr. Butler humbly and gratefully responded to the assembly of friends and family.

Graham Tucker, a local minister, worded a prayer of thanksgiving.

After registering, guests were offered a cornucopia of refreshments atop a lace-covered table – chicken-salad sandwiches, a tureen of Mrs. Butler’s delicious camp stew, vegetables and chips with dips, nuts, strawberries, miniature pecan pies, Rice-Krispy bars, brownies, cheese, sausage biscuits, bacon ties, coffee, and punch, flowing from a silver fountain.

A pretty bowl of apples stood near a sign, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Nearby was an arrangement of red roses and white snapdragons, the colors of Dr. Butler’s high school (Andalusia) and college (University of Alabama).

A keepsake poster, used 27 years ago to honor Dr. Butler on his first anniversary as a doctor and kept all these years by his loving mother, was on display. Paper balloons had been added to the poster each year for additional anniversaries.

Rhett and Lynn Butler, Dr. Butler’s older brother and sister-in-law, were among the guests.

A souvenir pillbox, printed with “Rex A. Butler, M.D., 27th Anniversary, 2009,” was given to those attending, along with pens, pads, and a prescription to “take one a day for a happy heart; walk a mile and earn a smile, and eat a nutritious meal and make a good deal.”

At the end of the day Dr. Butler was presented an album of more than 60 letters gathered by his mother from friends, expressing their appreciation for Dr. Butler. The album included letters from Governor Bob Riley, mayors, executives, and friends. Two extraordinary letters were from Edwin Patterson, a former pastor of the Butlers, who wrote his tribute in the form of a poem, and Sir Francis McGowin, whose artistry and penmanship were astounding. Sir Francis, by the way, attended in his Scottish finery, kilt and all.

Out-of-town guests included Lavon and Virginia Henley from Daphne and Gary Butler, a cousin from Demopolis.

Dr. Butler began his practice in Andalusia with four employees; today he has 29.

Felix Boswell, former A.H.S. coach and principal, came through Andy in July and left his collection of Andy yearbooks for the school’s Heritage Room. Word comes that he is retiring and planning to move to Arizona.

Sharon J. Parham has also given a collection of yearbooks (l95l – l956) to the Heritage Room in memory of Laurie (Hamiter) Hall, Class of l956, to whom the books belonged. Mrs. Hall was a much loved, local personality, known especially for her love of beauty, her wit, her laughter, her good taste, and her expertise in decorating.

Rhett Butler, in charge of the demolition of the A.H.S. Annex, told me that the chimney and boys’ restroom were both knocked down Saturday afternoon, Oct. 17, the day after homecoming. That completed the leveling of the building. This week the concrete foundation and rubble are being removed.

The dedication plaque, which was attached to the brick, outside wall of the Annex porch, has been preserved in the Heritage Room. It reads as follows: “l955 – Andalusia High School – Andalusia City Board of Education: L. E. Brown, president; Dr. E.A. Ray, vice-president; J. V. Bell, O. L. Thagard, Jr., M. J. Newberry. Superintendent of Education: J. H. Johnson. Mayor: Tracey B. Wilder. City Council: Lamon Fowler, J. F. Colquett, C. C. Bass, G. G. Dunn, John G. Wright. Contractor: B. & M. Construction Company of Meridian, Mississippi. Architects: Bond & Bond of Montgomery, Alabama.”

The Covington County Education Retirees Association met October l5 at 6:30 p.m. in David’s Catfish House for its monthly meeting.

Allen Miller, vice-president, worded the blessing. Elaine Chavers, secretary, read the minutes. Harriet Scofield, treasurer, stated the balance. Committee reports were given by Kim Dyess, Janice Hudson, Dean Morris, Evelyn Larigan, and Martha Chisum.

Dean Morris and Jenelle Kelsoe decorated the tables with fall flowers and Halloween candy. The centerpiece of fall flowers was used the next day to decorate the Heritage Room at A.H.S. for homecoming.

President Joe Wingard recited a comical poem, “One Night in Late October,” in honor of National Poetry Day, October l5.

Allen Miller presented Alabama Speaker of the House Seth Hammett, our local representative, and Senator Jimmy Holley as speakers for the legislative dinner, held annually by the CCERA.

Hammett thanked the teachers for his 3l years as representative for Covington County. He has only l3 months left to serve and l6 as Speaker. Hammett spoke of the recession, greed, mortgages, a shortage of tax dollars, which will affect teachers’ retirements, and the fact that the Chinese own a quarter of American debt. He said that the federal level is “out of hand” and mentioned “what the federal government does best – borrow money.”

Senator Holley stated that changes will have to be made to finance teacher health care. He said that PEEHIP may be reorganized. He outlined problems, such as an increase in student-teacher ratios.

Canned goods for the needy were collected from the teachers; this is a year-long project for retired teachers across the state.

The next CCERA meeting is set for November 4 at l0:30 a.m. at Country Folks in Florala.

Miss Priscilla Primme, the English teacher, reminded me that tomorrow is the birth date of England’s first great poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, whose poetry, even after hundreds of years, sounds as though it were written today – ever modern. He gave us phrases such as “the lady of the house.” English teachers usually make their seniors memorize the first eighteen lines of Chaucer’s “Prologue” to the Canterbury Tales in Middle English.

Sunday is also the anniversary of the birth of Thomas Babington Macaulay, English statesman, writer, and historian, known for his optimism; Johann Strauss, Jr., Austrian composer; and Georges Bizet, French composer of perhaps the most famous of all operas, Carmen.

Next week is rich with famous birthdays: Teddy Roosevelt, American president; Erasmus, Dutch scholar; Harvard, the oldest American college, founded l636; the Statue of Liberty, l886, a gift from France; Jonas Salk, the American doctor whose vaccine for polio saved the lives of thousands, including those of my own generation; James Boswell, the Scottish biographer whose Life of Samuel Johnson is perhaps the greatest biography in our language; John Adams, one of the founders of this nation and second president, a fascinating personality; Jan Vermeer, a Dutch painter; John Keats, an English, romantic poet who wrote perhaps the most famous line of poetry in our language, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”; and Martin Luther’s 95 theses, statements of complaint against the Catholic church of his time. Luther, a German Catholic, nailed his words to a church door in Wurttemberg, Germany; they were instrumental in what became known as the Protestant Reformation. His name is often associated with Martin Luther King, Jr., born many years later.

Next Saturday is Halloween. Many Dimpletonians, I notice, have decorated their yards and houses for Halloween, as well as fall and Thanksgiving. When I was young, folks didn’t decorate so much. I appreciate those who go to all that trouble to beautify “the Dimple of Dixie” with mums, pumpkins, scarecrows, hay bales, gourds, sugar cane, corn stalks, and other decorations.

Sat., Oct. 10, was a special afternoon for the family of Sybil Smith, who gathered in the Youth Ministry Building of First Baptist Church, Andalusia, to celebrate her 80th birthday.

(It is reported that the honoree chose the Youth Building for psychological reasons.)

Guests were greeted by Sybil’s granddaughter, Lorilyn Thompson, at an entrance lined with pumpkins set in fall leaves. Wreaths decorated the inside and outside of the door.

After registering, guests were directed to a gold vase holding bare tree branches. Fall cutouts of leaves with raffia ties were ready to be signed with messages for the honoree and hung on a branch. By 4 p.m. some 115 messages were affixed.

Sybil welcomed guests in a party room where were displayed her original birth certificate, baby pictures, engagement picture, a little church with her certificate of marriage in its door, honeymoon pictures, and pictures of her and Charlie’s two daughters, Lisa and Lori and five grandchildren. Two large globes filled with fall leaves, pinecones, and miniature pumpkins enhanced the beauty.

Lisa served cake, decorated with a fall theme. Lori offered raw vegetables, broccoli dip, nuts, nut cakes, raspberry-cream tarts, and miniature quiche. A round table supported a punch bowl surrounded with a colorful wreath where Natalie Thompson served. Some beautiful, floral arrangements had been given by Sybil’s brother, Mancil Ezell.

Guests rested at cloth-covered, round tables, decorated with fall colors. Music from the “old days” played in the background. The older guests loved it; the younger ones wondered what-in-the-world they were hearing – “Sentimental Journey,” “Chattanooga Choo-Choo,” “Ain’t That a Shame,” and “I Love Paris in the Spring Time.”

David Thompson, Lisa’s husband, recounted his days in “the Dimple of Dixie.” Don Roberts, Lori, and their three sons made pictures, videotaped, and made new friends.

Jennifer (Smith) Dansby, the multi-talented, claimed by the Smiths for years as a third daughter, surprised all with an original poem, “telling it all” about the honoree from birth in the Depression year of l929 to the recession of 2009. (Much of it was too true to be funny to one person in attendance.)

The family enjoyed worship together at First Baptist the following Sunday.

Jimmy and Sue (Bass) Wilson and I dined for our first times at the Dinner Bell Restaurant in Red Level Sunday last on a cool, sunny, October day. The restaurant opened back in August.

I enjoyed talking with the owner, Paul Hunter, who hails from Nashville where he was a drummer, disc jockey, and restaurateur. He is married to the former Michelle Dubose, one of our own.

Among those enjoying the good, country cooking were the humorous and clever Joe Barton, Mike and Angie Dubose (Michelle’s dad), Betty Grantham, Billy and Peggy Boles, Dr. Stuart and Janna Foshee, Bob Floyd, Jacob Beam and his guest, Lindsay Miller from Clarksville, Fla., Inez Castleberry, Betty’s son, Terry Grantham, Betty’s granddaughter, Katie Grantham, Jason “Round” and Meg Sasser and their son Mitchell, Florrie Lassiter, Charlie Harrelson, and Marcus McIntyre.

Joe Barton quipped, “I’d rather run into Jesse James with his gun than into Mrs. Grundy with her pen!”

I learned from Mike Dubose that his son Michael finished West Point in May and is now in officers’ training. The Duboses were able to attend his graduation and praised West Point highly.

An old dinner bell serves as part of the decorations in the restaurant, by the way.

The sanctuary flowers in First Baptist last Sunday were placed in memory of the late Chris Holley for his birthday. Chris’s daughter Kaitlin, was named Miss Memolusia, the chief beauty at the high school, this fall.

Don Lingle, minister of music at First Baptist for 28 years, was in town last weekend with his wife Dot, their daughter, Kristen, and Kristen’s husband, Daniel, and their son Andrew, for Kristen’s 10-year, high-school reunion (Class of 2000). Don was invited to sing with the Baraca Quartet of First Baptist in two Sunday-School assemblies and in “big church” last Sunday morning. Don used to sing regularly with the quartet every third Sunday. Don joined Kim Dyess, Casey Thompson, Dwight Crigger, and Joe Wingard to make a quintet. It was nice to see the past minister of music and the current one, Dwight Crigger, singing together like that. Combined, they represented 30 years of church history. Martha (James) Givhan accompanied the men as they sang “Ring Out the Message.”

Dr. Fred Karthaus, pastor, baptized young Riley Eiland that morning. Callie-Marie Crigger, a junior at A.H.S., sang a solo; she is the daughter of the minister of music. Jason Jewell sang the solo part in the choir anthem that morning and later walked the aisles to profess his faith in Christ, as did Tammy Vick Hudson.

I have much to share about homecoming at Andalusia High School last weekend, but I can share only part of it this week.

The Class of 1960, returning for its fiftieth anniversary, took a tour of the Three-Notch Museum Saturday morning, Oct. 17. They are trying to locate one of their classmates, by the way, Comer Wilson, whose dad died on the ship Arizona in Pearl Harbor. Can you help, gentle reader?

A few in the Class of 1972 met for supper Oct. 17 at Larry’s; then they motored to the lovely, new home of Tom and Martha (Eiland) Steele for dessert and coffee. Fellowshipping were Jerry and Terri Short, Wayne and Angie (Baker) Sasser, Charlee (Sullivan) Dunn and her granddaughter Cassidy Dunn, Roger and Cathy Powell, Terri (Shaw) Patko, and the class advisor-teacher, Joe Wingard. Jerry Short of Montgomery is class president.

The late Dot Crawford, one of the class’s teachers who passed away recently, was recalled fondly, as was old Salter’s pool, once a local swimming hole.

A handful of the A.H.S. Class of 1968 met for lunch October 17 of homecoming weekend at Mendozas.

Attending were Susan (Simmons) Seay, Ray Gavin, the irrepressible Antara Stanley Nowling, Charlie Grantham, Billy Wooldridge, John Northrop, George Boswell, Dr. Mike Wells, Sue (Williams) Wiggins, Daniel L. Gantt, and Joe Wingard, who taught journalism to some of the class.

Both classes, 1972 and 1968, have resolved to meet annually for “the duration,” whether it’s a 10-reunion or not.

This being Saturday, gentle reader, I want to encourage each of us to be in his place of worship this weekend. Fare thee well.