2021 was a strange year. Even when the weather was good and the electric bill was paid, it was strange. We lost good people and we thank them for what they gave us that we can keep – little nuggets provided by their survivors.
Cliff Davis swore he was his mother’s favorite child. “Careers are for the unimaginative” and “Surround yourself with great people and stay out of their way,” was sheer Cliff.
Jeffrey Filbeck died with his wife, brother, and four dogs in the room with him. He was a season ticket holder of the Kansas City Chiefs for 25 years.
Jake Seymour, 34, loved drumming, comedy, soccer, singing and Frank Zappa. He asked that friends donate a can of soup or a couple of dollars to Flint Street Food Bank.
Linsey Williams, 31, was a descendant of Squire Beaver, founder of the town, Beaver. She fished with her dad, loved tacos and naps, and was Junior Miss Berryville when she was 16.
Paul Justus, 70, died while taking a walk. He was a writer on progressive economic policy who married a noted stream ecologist. He was an Eagle Scout who later served in the Peace Corps.
Berryville High School grad Kevin Wright wanted to be an astronaut but settled for being an artist, a gardener, and journalist. He was editor of the Elgin Courier, a 130-year-old weekly newspaper where he won awards from the Texas Press Association.
Roy Lindow, 74, was celebrated for his bear hugs.
Kirk Ashworth, 66, known for violent sneezing and leaving chores for tomorrow, was a Berryville High School English teacher and a treasured Independent columnist He died in the middle of a snowstorm in his front yard. On my birthday.
Natalie Thomas, born on St. Patrick’s Day, took in Japanese exchange students and labeled everything in her house to help them learn English.
Melba Jane Wilson won County Fair Blue Ribbons for paintings, vegetables and fruit. Her pets were birds.
Ruth Morrison helped her husband run the Tall Pines Inn for 15 years. That was after she performed a piano concerto with the Capital Symphony in Washington, D.C.
Charlotte Poe quit school to work during the Depression, got married, finished school, and became a career teacher.
Travis Woody, 102, was an Army Sgt. and engineering ballistics aide, high school math teacher, delivered Meals on Wheels, and was Stick Brown’s (Chelsea’s Corner Bar) mother.
Doug O’Connor had his ashes scattered on land he loved the first weekend of deer season.
Bo Bohannon played bluegrass bass with Gaskins Switch and opened for John Lee Hooker at the Ozark Mountain Folk Fest in 1973.
In 1978, Rand Ozier, part of the Halloween 13, chained himself to earth moving equipment to protest the building of a nuclear power plant in Oklahoma. It was never built. He also gave me his mother’s typewriter, complete with case and a lock and key that work, the day before he died.
Dr. Luis Contreras spent his life as a climate activist and researcher with English as his second language. He was the second Independent columnist to die suddenly in 2021.
Michael Leahy built miniature golf courses and loved blue claw crabs.
Tony Popovac was a corporate guy who retired and became a fishing guide and connoisseur of anything Mardi Gras.
Chuck Medford, who died one day shy of turning 79, was a state trooper and Carroll County Sheriff who was a master at convincing lawbreakers not to do that again.
McKinley Weems, 100, fell in love with Lola after seeing her in a buckboard when she was 15. They were married for 81 years. He could fix anything, and when steam train parts couldn’t be found, McKinley made them. He read encyclopedias and flew Piper Cubs.
Tommy Helms held an annual 3-week deer camp, with friends from his youth, for more than 40 years.
Mary Bohannon, 82, said “I’ll treat you so many ways you’re bound to like one of them.” She once killed a bear in her feed room.
“Hook” stacked rock walls and planted seedlings. How strong does a man have to be to protect his gentleness?
Pam Jones sang in the chorale, loved the opera, baked, could sell you some land, and had eyes that sparkled like club soda.
Thanks to the friends and families who noticed who their people really were.