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- [S113] Manes Funeral Home, (http://www.manesfuneralhome.com), 19 Apr 2006.
Mack Ray Winter obituary
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 12 Apr 2009.
James Winter: Rough voice but a kind heart
Spring weather continued to whiplash our hometown with a near-whiteout sleet storm on Tuesday, then clearing for the Passover full moon on Thursday and thunderstorms Good Friday.
The last time I drove to Sherry's Market off Cosby Highway, a giant brown cow stood out front. James Winter said the Mayfield cow was there to promote a sale on milk. "It's the Cadillac of milk," he said, noting their price has been $3.69 per gallon. The cow did not have a perfect welcome and some green blobs of paint on its side showed this. "They shot my cow," said James, referring to a paint gun attack on the cow, his store and adjacent buildings. The cow survived the vandalism. The next time I visited the store the cow had already gone grazing and so had James. At a small table drinking coffee was David Brown. While his face is familiar, I found out that his father and mother were Lynn and Gladys Brown. Lynn was involved in county government and died in 1979 but I got to know him well. Perhaps you know their other children, Tommy, Jerry, Patti Moore and the late Beulah Brown. Another fellow who arrived and is a friend of David Brown's is Elmer "Tont" Shults. He is the son of Grover "Bill" Shults and there again one of those good fellows you see all the time but maybe don't know much about him. Later, when I talked with James on the phone, he said the store business gives him a chance to meet so many interesting people. For those who know James but haven't talked with him in the last five years, you will be surprised at the change in his voice. Daughter Leann Gooderham, who sells real estate, explained that everyone has what's called a false set of vocal chords. James' false set collapsed on his main vocal chords causing his voice to be gruff and low. We talked more on Thursday about his background. He is the son of M.C and Flora (Gregg) Winter of Long Creek. Folks of L.C. Gregg's era may have gone to school with James at Rabbit Hill where the Winter Grocery was located. Dad Winter died in 1959 and James began clerking as a teenager. But I recall that for many years James drove a truck to pick up milk at local dairies such the Burl & Edna Ottinger dairy. James began operating Sherry's Market, which used to be Terry's, in 1985 and he lives off McGaha Chapel Road on what used to be John Robert's property. There still are three of the Winter children living, including Roger Winter, a farmer, and Orlee Conard, who is retired Helpers at the store include Cecil Dunn and Tootsie Jacobson.
Each spring we look for reoccurring events to confirm that things are still in their normal cycle. We must have just passed through Dogwood Winter, when the temperature dropped into the 30s last Tuesday and Wednesday. A real clockwork event in spring is the annual return of the hummingbirds. You recall last year I featured John Wodalski, who in his 80s, still works and is an employee of Food City. On Friday, he brought in a photo showing the 12 cases of Natural Springs Nectar he bought through Fred's of Newport. He was worried it would not arrive in time to feed the hummers on April 14. John assured me that every year, at least for the 20 he has been feeding at his Trail Hollow Rd. home, hummers return from South America. If they don't, you will be the first to know besides John and me.
Winter returned briefly with sleet but not enough cold to kill spring's revival. It was during the week I stopped at the Farmers Co-op and bumped into Jimmy Hensley, the manager, in the parking lot. We chatted about the strong interest in gardening. The Co-op caters to gardeners. Jimmy said, to demonstrate the increased interest, people bought 5,000 more pounds of seed potatoes this year than in 2008. Warren Bryant was at the counter when I asked if he had any plant covers such as what farmers routinely used in days gone by to cover tobacco seed beds. Warren said all had been sold out to gardeners, probably to protect lettuce and tender plants. Also last week, at Town & Country Drug Store expecting to see pharmacist Marty Bailey, instead Peggy and Gary Hammonds were working. You know they sold the business but apparently can't stay away. Peggy assured me that they wouldn't be working anymore. Gary at 66 has already collected his second Social Security check and is way ahead of me. I saw Dorothy Kyker in her driveway off Lower English Creek Rd. She asked me to mention in my column that daughter Shelly was doing much better after two surgeries related to a colon problem. Dad Gary Kyker gave me the details when I pulled in to chat at Kyker's garage. Shelly had been living and working in Knoxville last year and then returned home to work at Dollar General. Early November she became ill. After seeing her test results, Dr. David Kickliter of Family Practice Center sent her immediately to Knoxville. A specialist confirmed she had Crohn's disease and required surgery to remove a section of her colon. Her weight declined to about 90 pounds during recovery. Two weeks ago the surgeon reattached her colon and she is doing excellent, said Gary.
In plain talk, nature's sure indomitable cycles continue despite the vagaries of weather and people's plans.
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