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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Talk of the Town
Julie
Evans
Evans
Newspapers
Inc.
jevans@evansnewspapers.com
A good friend,
a good mother,
a good wife
Someone described her to
me once: Thoughtful, sin
cere, caring, a bit quiet, shy
to some degree and genu
ine. Basically, your salt of
the earth kind of person.
I would agree and maybe
add a few more descriptives
like real, rare, and realistic.
She doesn’t judge. She sees
the world as “we” are all
supposed too, in a Christian
way.
You have seen her all oyer
Houston County. Always in
the media whether it was
newspaper (is there any
other type media out there),
TV or Radio.
I met her years ago. Too
many to remember, but it
had to be my early high
school days that I got to
know her. Her family has
been in Perry as long as I
have ... which means all of
our lives.
She is special to Danny
and me. She is a good friend,
I know a good mother, and
to hear her husband speak,
a great wife. Sounds good
doesn’t it. Well, it’s true. It’s
all true.
She just recently made a
big change in her life, and
a good decision I think. She
stepped down from a very
stressful and demanding job
that took her away a lot
from her three children and
family life. Why the change?
Deep down, I think that she
felt that it was time to start a
new chapter in her life. Was
she scared? I would imagine
so. I probably would be.
(Lots of obstacles to figure
out.) Did she retire. NO! She
is too young for that. I think
that she is busier today, but
she is in control of her work
schedule. Believe me, there
is a difference when you’re
in control on your daily
schedule instead of work
ing in that corporate world
where they make the deci
sions.
I’m talking about Mary
Jane Brown Kinnas.
Her family has been
around us for years. You
know the term: Good
People! That’s them. Bert,
Mary Jane’s oldest brother,
worked in the sports depart
ment for Danny when he had
The Perry Times newspaper.
Danny said this 20 years
ago, and he still stands by
this comment today, “Bert,
was the perfect employee.
He always did his job, and
always was on time with
deadlines.” Then Mary Jane
came along and worked as
an intern for Danny in her
younger years at the paper
too. She did a great job.
Then, there was Alan, the
middle child. I called him
Charlie Brown. He was one
of the biggest “cut ups” that
you will ever meet. Alan
was always up to something.
He was a great Elvis imper
sonator too. Today, he is just
a big Georgia Bulldog fan.
Those impersonator days
are far gone for him. I wish
that I could tell you more,
but Alan would kill me! Alan
never worked for us, but
I’m sure that he would have
done a great job just like
Bert and Mary Jane.
I think that you can attri
bute the way Mary Jane is
today because of her moth
er, Gail. You would have to
know Mary Jane’s mother to
understand. Gail is a sweet
lady that I like a lot. Rehl
kind. Her mom and I use to
hang out together in the turn
around at school waiting on
them younguns! Gail cruises
See TALK, Page iC
LIFESTYLE
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Journal/Charlotte Perkins
In the cast of Miracle on 34th Street are David Voltz, Samantha Carter, Gary Deibert, Jill Douglas, Stephen Doublas,
Devon Hokanson, Janie Hokanson, Melissa Hokanson, Russ Hokanson, Josh Home, Lyndsey Horne, Bill Johansen,
Jarrod Johansen, David Kelley, Gloria Lawson, Hannah Lawson, Charley Ann Lollis, Mary Jan Lollis, Ryan McCarty,
Jared Ragus, Josh Ragus, Edna Rutland, Ashley Stepanek, Brooke Stepanek, Carol Tinsley and Todd Wilson.
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Journal/Charlotte Perkins
David Gaines and Adam Worrell spend countless hours
keeping Perry’s cemeteries well-maintained.
PHS performance has seniors clapping,dancing
i y
Duma DeCapice, 95; Lotie Kolodnuy and Katie
Chambliss get in the spirit of the music by the Perry
High School Jazz Band.
Hannah Price, accompanied by the PHS Jazz Band,
sings Misty for the audience of seniors at Rozar Park.
Keeping Perry’s historic
legacy Evergreen
By CHARLOTTE
PERKINS
Journal Staff Writer
Ellie Loudermilk, Jim
Moody and Mayor Jim
Worrall are determined -in
their own different ways - to
make sure that Perry’s his
toric Evergreen Cemetery
remains a treasure.
Moody, the city’s
Purchasing Agent, has made
a mission of seeing that the
grave markers and statu
ary darkened by time are
being cleaned, edged, and
even raised from the ground
where they have sunk over
the years.
City workers spend many
hours a week making sure
that the final resting place
of some of Perry’s first citi
zens, buried aa long ago
as 1826, is a peaceful place,
tended with care.
Baby makes three
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Krystal
Riner
HHJ Staff
Writer
kriner@evansnewspapers.com
It all started with a short
visit to the Perry Senior
Center a few months ago. I
went over to Rozar Park to
do a story about the Senior
Center, and what goes on
over there. I never imag
ined that these people would
touch my heart so deeply.
The seniors danced as part
of their exercise, and talked
about how much being able
to get out of the house and
being able to be around peo
ple their own age helps them
everyday.
After I left the center that
day I went to the band room
at Perry High School (my
other job) and told Andy
Hursey, the band director,
about the center. It didn’t
take much discussion before
we decided that doing a
Christmas program for the
seniors at the center would
be great idea.
I called Tammy Baker,
director of the Perry Senior
Center and told her our idea.
Tammy was thrilled and
said she thought the seniors
would love it.
Tammy arranged for three
other centers to come to
Living History
Loudermilk, a teacher at
Perry High School, and one
of the communities volun
teer historians, has brought
her on inspiration ,tp the
historic site, by encourag
ing the Perry High School
Drams Department’s
“Living History” program,
in which students re-enact
the lives of those buried at
the cemetery. The popular
program, with new stories,
will be presented from 2-4
p.m., Dec. 13, with tours
starting every 20 minutes.
Students in period costumes
will speak for those who rest
below the markers.
Remembrance Way
Worrall and the' City
Council, are hoping that citi-
Perry and see the Jazz Band
and dance line.
Andy put together a
program of music, some
Christmas, and some Jazz
classics, and I choreo
graphed a dance to one of
the Christmas songs. We
took a small Jazz Band
made up of 14 students, and
a dance line consisting of six
members of the Color Guard
at Perry High School.
The seniors at the cen
ter seemed very interest
ed in the music. After the
dance line performances,
the seniors were up dancing
with the girls. It was price
less to see the look on their
faces, and the fun they were
having.
■
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Rebecca Bingham, Hillary Singletary, Victoria Hankins,
Alexis Rabalais, Haley Valis and Liana Goff.
SECTION: C
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2008
Miracle
on 34th
Street
Perry Players
presenting
Christmas classic
The Perry Players’
Christmas production
opened Friday. Miracle on
34th Street, directed by
Linda Deibert and produced
by Martha Alexander will
have show dates tonight,
Sunday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, Dec. 13
and 14.
According to Linda
Deibert, “Miracle on 34th
Street is a wise and wonder
ful story about believing.”
Kris Kringle, the star of
the show, helps everyone,
including the audience, to
believe again.
Call 987-5354 for reserva
tions.
zens will become involved
in the Remembrance Way
project at the side entrance
to the cemetery, which will
soon see a transformation as
trees are planted in memory
of and in honor of those
who will be remembered by
friends or family.
Crape Myrtle trees will be
planted and maintained by
the city in an effort to cre
ate a buffer between the
cemetery and the railroad
tracks that touch the north
ern boundary of the cem
etery.
The cost for the trees
and the marker is $125.
Persons wishing to have
a tree and marker placed
on Remembrance Way are
asked to call 988-2736 to
reserve a tree. The deadline
for requesting a tree for this
year is Friday.
I watched not only the
seniors have a good time,
but also the girls felt really
good about what they had
done, and enjoyed the time
they spent at the center.
Tammy told me that
music is the one thing that
everyone can relate to. She
said that they are looking
forward to seeing our group
of students back next year.
The program was very
entertaining and one of the
more special performances
I think these kids will ever
perform.
I am so glad that we were
able to do this program for
the Senior Center and share
the students’ talents with
them.
Photos by Charlotte Perkins