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Wednesday, uecemDer 14,1994, Houston limes-Journal Page 10A My life was lessened when I learned my friend, Jim Kerce, died last week By BOBBY TUGGLE Special to the HTH Every man's life is lessened when he loses a friend and mine was certainly lessened last week with the death of Jim Kerce. I first became a friend of Jim Kerce when he called me over to his office several weeks after he came to the Home Journal 13 years ago. I did not know Jim very well and couldn't imagine what he wanted to talk about. Jim asked me to give my opinion of the Houston Home Journal since he started running it. I told him the paper was terrible and that I could not read his editorial page because it was so boring. Jim told me that was not what he wanted to hear, but that he appreciated my honesty. We became good friends from dial day on. As I came to know Jim better, 1 found that he not only appreciated honesty, but that he was always honest and truthful, a trait that isn't always found in our modern-day newspaper writers and publishers. I would never have written a single article for the Houston Home Journal if Jim had not made me write. He came to my office one day and asked me to write an outdoor article for the paper. 1 absolutely refused, told him that I did not know how to write and would not write! He would not take no for an answer. He told me to put down on paper the tilings 1 loved about the outdoors and talked so much about. 1 will always be grateful to Jim for making me write as it has been very rewarding to me. 1 appreciate his faith in my ability. I will always remember the days I would take my article to the newspaper office and have a message to come into Jim's smoke filled office. We would sit and talk for hours about people, politics, dogs, guns and children. There was a side of Jim that many people, unless they were close friends, did not see - a dry humor, a caring and a deep sensitivity. He loved to t;ilk about old days and was very nostalgic about them at times He was a great supporter of Ducks Unlimited and sometimes came away from the banquets with somewhat foolish purchases such as puppies and prints 1 will never forget the day this crusty old newspaperman gave my three-wee-old granddaughter a Browning shotgun he had purchased at Ducks Unlimited There was much emotion and caring when he told me to keep it for her until she was old enough to hunt and if she did not want to hunt, to sell the gun and use the money for her college. We looked at L.L. Bean catalogs Found in Piggly Wiggly Parking Lot - black and brown dog Ap proximately 4 months old. Owner call 987-1570 after 5:30 p.m. Yard Sale Multi family yard sale - Saturday, December 17, 7:30 - until, baby items, bikes, toys, clothes, car seat, dishes and crafts, stereo, 2 bedroom suite 1407 Cambridge Road ! HOLIDAY SPECIALS |V'"/ 94 ISUZU PICK-UP 5-SPIED; AIR CONDITIONING / lllfft QQQOO SPECIAL ALUMINUM WHEELS mf it* SLBING HEAR WINDOW - ixwrN STEREO CASSETTE CASH OO ■■MB TRADE ■UtOOxrMNCMtSM' 4QCA3* hm m wmim • s.Tn ’nESnREP' 1 o 5 MAKwimuin ofD imrru THE WOLVERINE E PET ION REGISTER TO WIN A 25in. COLOR TV WITH REMOTE 94 ISUZU AMIGO > ,Bir S > iFAHOKY i PWR 4WHEF.L DISC BRAKLS B crvi fit QTFFI WHFFI S W'BRIGHT W/REAR WHEEL ANTI-LOCK BRAKES SFR PAP TmM RWPS SPARE TIRE COVER; 5-SPEED PWR a ASS CFNTFR CONSOIF CONDETIONING IMM” TI^ED G J^^ R E , CONSOLE STEREO W/CASSETTE AND CLOCK MODEL § AVAILABLE REMOVABLE VINYL TOP “93” BMW 3251 S 1992 Pontiac 1993 Pontiac Grand “91" Ford T-Bird 1993 Chev S-10 P/U Q ™ n^ rix Am SE $7,995 Sport WtMWta 1991 CMC “93” Pontiac 1993 Chev Corsica 1993 Chev Silverado 1993 BMW 325 IS Jimmy 2dr 4x4 Grand Am Auto Ext. Cab Mr 00s Black $13,995 $10,950 *7,995 $16,995 1990 Chav S-10 1991 Acura “94” Isuzu Pick-Up “91 Pontiac 1991 Chov. Blazer 4x4 Lesend 4dr, Auto 4dr, Grand Am 4dr, Conv. Wen BARNEYASMTIH ISUZU (u) ««*“£££? 922-0067 together and ordered shirts and pants from them that we loved to wear. He was buried last Saturday wearing the denim shirts and jeans. Jim's death will leave a void in my life as it will in the life of the Perry community. Newspapermen such as he and Bobby Branch, who preceded him as editor and also met an untimely death, do not come and stay in a small community very often. Truly, all of our lives are lessened and the greatest tribute that could be given to diese two editors would be the changing the name of the paper back to the Houston Home Journal, as it had been during their tenure and for 130 years. Hospital and Safe Kids awarded $5,000 grant for prevention program Perry Hospital and Houston County Safe Kids Awarded $5,000 Grant for Head Injury Prevention Program Perry Hospital today announced the awarding of a SS,O(X) grant to be used by Houston County Safe Kids for the development of a head injury prevention program. This grant, provided by the Southeastern Comprehensive Head Injury Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, will give Perry Hosptal and Safe Kids of Houston County the opportunity to purchase infant car safety seats and bike safety helmets for distribution to low-income families residing in Houston County. "Automobile accidents are the number one cause of death of children and infants in our country," said Beth Jones, R.N.C., member of the Safe Kids of Houston County Coalition. We hope, through die additional monies from this grant, that we can make a difference in our community by purchasing more cm seats and bike helmets for our children." Houston County Safe Kids is a local coalition sponsored by Perry Hospital and dedicated to the prevention ol childhood injuries For more information, please call OX7-2028 or 087-7600 extension 310. In service... FORT LEWIS - Stephen Thomas received practical work in military leadership at the Army ROIC Advanced Camp at Fort Lewis. Tacoma. Washington. Thomas is the son of Henry L and Estelle Thomas of Perry He is a 1082 graduate of Perry High School Mrs. Housewife... If you are paying more than $84.90 + tax per 100 gals., of gas, you are paying too much. Gall 1-800-841-5879 Star Gas - Vienna, GA 95 ISUZU RODEO SALE PRICE *18,495 notviMcx. rwnofluas 24-VALW. *6 t Ms RHWWtti Awntoc* Boat* pm stunngc tzsMDoe*. MAftmpuvmacA cash OR TMH Pm MNDOW; CRUM; MI m*Ri msuLM VC; DfVWM*S«R • rmißi 36 MONTH-50,000 Ml VMARR. mcvnomm ■ || j| I jB I*; 11 3fWSJS- JJSSII?? Farewell to Jim Peak Colleagues and friends of Perry Hospital Administrator Jim Peak attended a farewell reception last week, as Peak prepares to move with his family to Bainbridge. A final goodbye to my friend, first editor and career mentor, Jim Kerce By BRENDA G. THOMPSON Special to the HTJ In my years as a newspaper journalist. I’ve been assigned to write many Uibutes to people in the community who have passed away. Though many of them were just acquaintances, their stories were never easy to write. I always had to go on what others had to say; from what others felt in their hearts. Well, today, I write my final such assignment. . this time for my very first editor and career mentor, Jim Kerce. In some ways-an primarily because it s coming from my heart this time-it seems as if this will be one of the easiest I've ever had to do. But. in other ways-and for the same reason-1 know it's going to be one of the hardest. It's just something I’ve got to do. To be honest. 1 don't think many people really knew Jim Kerce. He sure could come off gruff sometimes Anybody who knew him at all knew that It was just his way. And, it was a way many people just couldn't get past. But, for those who coukl and did gel past that crusty outer layer, their rewards were many. Because. Jim Kerce really was a good man. A gotxl man with a big heart, and a true friend I remember back in 1985 when 1 first went to work with Jim. He was definitely a newspaper man from the old school, spouting assignments and commands left and right, and, yes, lapsing into spells of grouc'niness now and again, but, I don't care what was going on-no matter what had him wound up when that phone rang and it was one of his kids, his whole world changed. The love and pride showed on his face and shined in his voice. The man loved his family. Shortly after I saw that side of Jim, I started getting to know him. And. during the three years of my first round of employment at The Houston Home Journal, I think I Please see THOMPSON, page 11A EDWARDS HARPER Co. Downtown Perry Christmas Sale Draw Your Own Discount 20-50% OFF 909 Carroll Street F*erry, Ga. 987-2391 IF YOUR CHILD RIDES A BICYCLE... HE NEEDS A BIKE HELMET. Its The Law. Bike Safety Program Tuesday, December 20th • 7 to 8 p.m. Perry Hospital Dining Room Cost: $5 (Pre-registration required) Participants will receive a bike helmet and a bike safety certificate. Sponsored by: Perry Hospital Houston County Safe Kids * ' I BIG DIAMOND VALUE! | I J&u 1/4 Carat f ol Diamonds $ I iBIPIM . I ft Brown’s Jewelers % ~f12~19 S- Main J In Service | FORT BRAGG - Dawn Z. Goodman received practi al work in military leadership at the ROTC advanced map at Fayetteville, N.C. The camp, attended by cadets normally between their third and fourth year of college, includes instruction in communications management, and survival training. The cadet is a student at Fort Valley State College. Goodman is the daughter of Velma Hoges of Perry. She is a 1991 graduate of Perry High School. FORT STEWART - Army Sgt. Davis Collins has arrived for duty at Fort Stewart in Hinesville, Ga. Collins, a fighting vehicle crewmember, is the son of Carrie Collins of Rural Route 3, Hawksinville. He is a 1985 graduate of Hawkinsville High School.