The Rambler

On these pages we will have various articles, links to other sites, news of our classmates, stories of interest, and articles that are related to our classmates.

Thanks to Barbara Barger Harelson for informing me of a very delightful article on one of our teachers, Chris Folk. The article appeared in the Chalotte Observer on March 16, 2010. If you are interested in reading, and I am sure you enjoy, please click HERE.

Thanks to Barbara Barger Harelson for letting me know of a delightful article from the Greensboro News & Record (01/31/10) concerning an annual Christmas Party hosted by Lundee Williams Amos. There was apparently a nice picture of Lundee in the printed copy that did not make the online version. You can see the article by clicking HERE.

by Nancy Marlowe Clifford

Fresh of face and light of heart,
we left and whirled out to the far reaches of the country,
           and some the world.
We sought our fortunes, and some were found,
and some were changed and transformed from what they were
            when we were fresh of face.
We fought our battles,
reaped our joys,
bowed beneath heartbreaks,
stood in triumph, and
lived our lives for thousands and thousands of days.
           and yet…
and yet,
we never forgot all those others who were part of us when we were
           fresh of face and light of heart,
and we returned after fifty years, long years and gone in a flash,
and put our arms around those we had missed and those we had kissed,
           and those we never forgot.

Thanks to Nancy Marlowe Clifford for composing the following poem in memory of our classmates that have died.

Remembrance

You are not gone for we remember you.
Your feet still flash on playing fields.
Your voices linger in the halls.
Your laughter rings.
Your smiles shimmer like glitter motes in
the sun light from the windows.
We can feel the faint touch of your fingers twined with ours.
We remember you.

--- Nancy Marlowe Clifford (06/20/07)

Buddy McKinney Named Top Agent

Coldwell Banker International recognized Buddy McKinney of Coldwell Banker Sloane Realty as the No. 1 Coldwell Banker agent in North Carolina and No. 25 in the nation in closed adjusted gross commission during the first quarter of 2006.

In the Coldwell Banker Southern region McKinney ranked No. 2 among all agents. All of his closings were for sales in the Regency, making it the fastest selling condominium community in Brunswick County.

Chris Bryan, sales manager said, "We're so proud to have Buddy as one of our agents an to celebrate his accomplishments."

Taken from The Brunswick Beacon, May 15, 2008.

Thanks to Barbara Barger Harelson fo sending me this article and congratulations to Buddy for this honor!

IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE...

A hero to his family and his workers

GERRY HOSTETLER

He didn't need the company controller to tell him how many and what kind of tires he had in stock; he kept his inventory of hundreds in his head.

James Gerald "Jerry" Gerrard of Mint Hill died at work on Jan. 25, 2008, of a heart ailment. He was 68 and president of Gerrard Tire Co.

"I honestly believe he knew every tire personally," said Anna Smith, the company's controller.

"He knew the tires he had, and when we recounted -- he was right."

Jerry was a hands-on businessman who hired by the look of the man, not by his resume. He was known to take a chance on many applicants for jobs or credit.

Anna recalls Jerry's response to a man who started a trucking company and needed tires. He couldn't get credit and was desperate. "You look like a good man," Jerry told him. "I'll give you credit."

Jerry's sister and the company's credit manager Katy Williams said, "I had to get on him a little bit about giving credit. He liked to extend credit."

Jerry worked in the dispatch office, Anna said. "That's something -- for the president of a corporation to take calls all day. For night road service, he took calls at home," she said.

"That's how much he cared about his business. If a trucker has a flat and gets the president at night, he knows he's going to get service. Jerry built his business on service."

And he built his family on love. In the late 1950s, a friend introduced Jerry to telephone operator Nancy Lovelace. She loved him for his kindness, she said. They married in 1961 and added son Christopher and daughter Cindy to the family. "He would give anybody anything," she said. "I've seen him take off his jacket and give it to somebody."

Boss was hardest worker

Jerry may have been a softie in some respects, but not when it came to work. "He taught me what hard work is," said son Christopher. "I started out at minimum wage, $3.35 an hour, rolling and changing tires. He taught me to work hard and for long hours. It's the only place I've worked since I was knee-high.""He had a great work ethic," daughter Cindy Bunn said. "For the last 12 years his health was not good, but he got up and opened the shop every day. He was one of the hardest workers there, and that made a huge impression on me. I looked up to him a lot -- he was my hero."

He was a hero to many others. If a worker was laid up and unable to make his mortgage payments, Jerry stepped in. If one needed drug rehab, his job waited for his recovery.

"He treated all with honesty and fairness," said Andy Bunn, Jerry's son-in-law.

"His generosity was amazing," said sister Pat Myers. "Not only financially, but with his love and interest in our lives."

Made you feel loved

Jerry's generosity spilled over to his extended family, too. He gave shy niece Amie Jones a car. "Uncle Jerry probably never knew how much more that car gave me than just a cool ride -- it bolstered my self-confidence," she said.

Niece Carrie Myers said he always made you feel loved. "He made what seemed impossible, possible," she said.

"Jerry Gerrard wanted everyone to have prosperity and good fortune," Andy said. "He shared his with many people.

"I think we all agree that our lives are better for having him in it and knowing this man."

Amen, Andy. Amen.

It's a Matter of Life...

HELP

Classmates We Can Not Find

A tremendous thanks goes to Danny Sells, David Dennis and especially Doug House in locating many of our classmates that have been hard to find!

We still need your help! The following is a list of classmates we have no information as to their location and ask anyone who has information on any of these names, please contact Danny Sells, David Dennis, Doug House or Mickey Connell.

If you have not been contacted by someone on the Reunion Team, please let us know.