A Promise Kept

On April 22, 2007, my father-in-law died after a long and fruitful life at the age of 82. He and his wife Percy have reared 4 children and I happen to be married to one of them ... his daughter, Jaye. A quick synopsis of his life is but a poor attempt to describe him, but these words will have to suffice. Doyle has been in Monroe, Georgia since 1956, when he moved there to manage Deere Acres (a training school for John Deere employees). He attended the University of Georgia and served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Macleish during WWII. After the war he returned to his true love, farming, for the rest of his life. He was extremely active in the community serving as a member of the first Walton County Planning and Zoning Boards, later serving as chairman for many years. He served as a tax assessor for Walton County, was a director of Walton County Chamber of Commerce and was, at the time of his death, a Director of the Walton EMC. He was a director of the Farmer's Bank and later served on the Wachovia Bank Advisory Board. He was one of the original Trustees of George Walton Academy and served as a deacon at Mt. Creek Baptist Church for 45 years. He was a 50 year member of the Campton Lodge #566 F & A.M.! In addition, he was a life member of the Monroe VFW where he thoroughly enjoyed the Friday morning coffed gatherings. BUT, if you asked Doyle what he did, he would say that he was a farmer.

As you can probably discern, Doyle was a man who admired people who took care of their responsibilities. He would do anything for anyone, but he held little regard for those who thought that the world owed them a living. Responsibility, Hard Work, Character, Morality and Perseverance were just a few of his traits. Simply, he was a man who did not shirk his responsibilities!

About 25 years ago during the famous farmers' strike, he and several of his farming buddies were discussing the fact that as the government gets more involved in personal affairs of people, folks tend to get out of the way and let the government do it. This concept did not sit well with Doyle or his buddies! He reminded his friends that in days gone by, friends and neighbors even dug the grave when a member of the community died. He further reminded them that one cannot do this anymore because of government regulations and interference. During this conversation, one of his friends, David Thompson, latched onto the idea of friends digging the graves of their deceased buddies and promised Doyle that he would dig his grave when the time came.

On the day Doyle died, David Thompson, called Doyle's widow, Percy, and told her about the promise he had made to him some 25 years earlier. He was going to dig the grave! He met resistance from the management of the cemetery and the city, but he was undeterred. He had made a promise and he was going to keep it! Government intereference was not going to stop him! David put the word out and several folks showed up with their shovels( see picture)!




On the day before the funeral, Doyle's son Billy, Doyle's grandson (my son) Mitch and I headed for the cemetery to watch the event. The gentleman operating the backhoe was very helpful with the hard and crusted earth so it turned into a somewhat symbiotic affair and the task was completed. It seemed only fitting that a man of the soil was returning to the earth from whence he came with the help of his farmer friends.

My family has been in the funeral business for 5 generations, and my brothers do not recall a similar event taking place during their tenure. Keeping Promises! Taking care of our folks!

Thanks for reminding us David Thompson!

Gravediggers (l to r): Greg Souther, Billy Mitchell, Bernie Moody, Robby Thomas, Kevin Moody, DAVID THOMPSON, Adam Thompson, Luke Huff, Charles Whitley, Press Breedlove, Scott Cherry, Will Thompson, Mitch Goddard, Clay Thompson, Steve Poole