Newspaper Page Text
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
July 26
☆☆ Janice
Hancock ☆☆
Volume 138, Number 58
FRONT DOOR
"Always open "
‘“'Salvation is found in no one
else, for there is no other name
under heaven given to men by
which we must be saved.”
- Acts 4:12 NIV
FRONT PORCH
"Where neighbors meet"
HHJ history
50 years ago:
Frances Worrall was named chief
librarian for the Perry School
System. Perry Postmaster
Laurence Hunt reminded every
one that first class stamps were
going up from 3 cents to 4
cents, and that letters with the 3
cents stamps would be returned
to the sender. The Tolleson
Little League team beat the
Lions’ team, 15 to 6, and the
Kiwanis team beat the Car-Mart
team 13-1.
On the social scene, Mr. and
Mrs. Mayo Davis were vacation
ing in Panama City.
30 years ago:
Perry Loan & Savings was proud
to announce its new name, The
Bank of Perry. General A.J.
Beck reported as commander
of Warner Robins Air Material
Center.
On the social scene, Judy Smith
(soon to be Judy Golden) was
honored with a pink and white
bridal shower at the New Perry
Hotel. Hostesses were Mrs.
John Houser and Mrs. W.A.
Whitehurst.
You could buy sirloin steak
for 89 cents a pound. At J.E.
Davidson’s Grocery and a Ford
Mustang for $2,679 at Moody
Motor Company.
10 years ago:
Larry Warnock had just won a
seat on the Houston County
Board of Education, and Roy
Barnes and Guy Milner, hav
ing won the Democratic and
Republican primaries respec
tively, were about to square off
in the gubernatorial race.
The Blue Angels were set to
practice at tne Perry Airport,
and Mayor Jim Worrall was urg
ing the community to turn out
for the big Indian Pow Wow to
be held at the Georgia National
Fairgrounds.
Joan Dorsettt reported on how
proud Les and Jaydee Ager
were proud of their new son,
Forrest, and that Marcilla and
Ted Heath were settling into the
family homeplace on Houston
Lake Road.
Charlie Walker was at a retreat
at Epworth-by-the-Sea.
Source: The Houston Home
Journal
-Compiled by Charlotte Perkins
Award-Winning
Newspaper
Better Newspaper
Contest
PERIODICAL 500
8 (>sl Mi 4
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Georgia Newspaper Project
Man Library
University of Georgia
ATHENS GA 30602-0002
3-DIGIT 306
July 23,2008
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Perry Named
Top 10 For
Retirement
LEGAL ORGAN FOR HOUSTON COUNTY,
CITY OF PERRY, CITY OF WARNER ROBINS AND CITY OF CENTERVILLE
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From Perry to Poland and back
By KRYSTAL RINER
Journal Staff Writer
A well-traveled woman,
Margery Zerko, 91, has
lived in many counties of
the world, but her roots
keep bringing her back to
Perry.
Her journey began on
December 7, 1941, “ a date
that will live in infamy.”
The bombing of Pearl
Harbor occurred when she
was in her second year of
A young pastor for a young church
The Rev. Sean Cooper has his own homecoming at Grace Church
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
Journal Staff Writer
Sean Cooper was standing on a hill
overlooking the Sea of Galilee when he
got the good news from his dad on the
phone.
Yes, he got the job. The people of
Grace Church, after an intensive search,
had decided to ask him to be their new
pastor.
“It was one of those God moments,”
the 33-year-old Cooper says.
He was in the Promised Land for long
planned 10-day mission trip, and soon
he would be heading home to Moultrie,
and starting to pack for a real homecom
ing in Perry.
If the name sounds familiar, chances
are good that if you live in Perry, you’ve
met Sean Cooper, or his wife Paula.
He’s the son of Jackie and Terry
Cooper, she’s the daughter of Mike and
Barbara Witherington, and their ties to
this community couldn’t be tighter.
Sean and Paula both grew here. She
went to Perry High and he went to
Westfield. He went to Perry United
Methodist Church and she went to Perry
First Baptist, but they’re the same age
and have always known the same people
and shared both a strong faith and a
need to help others.
They’ve both taught special educa
tion, and she will be teaching at Quail
Run Elementary starting this fall.
They’re glad to be bringing their chil
dren back “home” where they will be
close to two sets of grandparents and
dozens of relatives and family friends.
Sean says that when they moved here
with their two children, Walker and
By KRYSTAL RINER
Journal Staff Writer
Georgia has it all. If you’re looking to retire, no need to
look far Perry has been named one of the top ten cities to
retire.
“Retire in Georgia” magazine has an extensive application
process to go through to be considered for one of the ten
spots. Megan Smith, President/ CEO of the Perry Chamber
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
teaching in a small town in
Georgia.
After being shell shocked
the horrible attack on Pearl
Harbor, Zerko decided that
she might be more help
serving her country.
She requested addition
al information about the
Army. Thinking she would
receive a letter talking
about their mission state
ment she was surprised to
receive a letter telling her
to report to Brooke General
Genna, to live on the family farm on
Flournoy Road in Elko, church mem
bers ‘came out in droves”, bringing
plenty of muscles for moving furniture,
and plenty of food for the family, to help
with the unpacking and getting the
house in order.
“We’re so excited to be here,” he says,
speaking of Grace Church, “It’s such
a welcoming congregation, and when
people come, they feel welcome the sec
ond they step in.”
He is following the Rev. Ed McMinn,
who was the first pastor of the church
that began less than five years ago, and
has grown steadily from being a “por
table church” meeting at Rozar Park, to
having its own new building on Houston
Lake Road.
When McMinn announced his decision
that he had taken Grace Church through
its first phase and would be leaving the
pulpit, the church began a search for a
new pastor, and Sean Cooper, who was
known to many of the members already,
was one who was called to preach to the
congregation.
He made his first sermon there on
Mother’s Day. By Father’s Day, he was
officially the church’s pastor.
It is his first church as senior pastor,
although he has worked extensively s
a youth minister, starting back in the
1990 s at Crossroads United Methodist
Church. In Perry, he was also deep
ly involved in Charlie Walker’s “First
Love Ministry,” and is excited about the
growth of the Christian efforts of Perry
Volunteer Outreach, where his wife’s
uncle, Larry Wood is now director, as
well as other developing ministries in
the area.
Hospital in San Antonio,
Texas.
Zerko got on a train and
headed for Texas.
While serving in the
Army for three years, Zerko
was trained as a Physical
Therapist. She practiced
in France and Germany
before receiving her “ cer
tificate of service papers”
or as Zerko refers to them ,
“ her divorce papers” from
the Army.
See ZERKO, page 6A
Paula and Sean Cooper with their children, Walker and Genna,
See COOPER, page 6A in front of Grace Church.
of Commerce submitted the ten-page application with vol
umes worth of data about the city of Perry. Everything from
climate to healthcare to recreation for active adults had to
be addressed.
As a retired educator and the Mayor of the city of Perry,
Jim Worrall said,” There is no better place in Georgia to
retire than Perry. We are four hours away from some of the
most beautiful mountains in the eastern part of the United
See TOP TEN, page6A
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Margery Zerko’s life has been an adventure. She is a
world traveler, a former physical therapist, missionary
and author.
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www.hhjnews.com
Fuel
Tank
Fire
Perry Firefighters extin
guished a vehicle fire on
Friday at the exit ramp of
1-75 near Applebee’s. The
firefighters had the flames
out quickly once realizing
the fuel pump was still
pumping, causing the fire
to reignite.
According to the owner
of the vehicle he and his
family were on the way to
Jacksonville Florida when
his truck cut off and he
began to see flames.
ENI/Gary Harmon
FWSR/wEFq
Contributed
Journal/Charlotte Perkins