W.T. Kersey passed away on 9/11/2010 at age 76. He was a true genuine original! He was a true Florida "Cracker", was a font of practical knowledge and information, didn't have much use for Doctors (he referred to them as "sawbones"), didn't put on any airs, and was a "what you see is what you get" person.
I met W.T. when his son Randy was in my Ag class at Bayshore High School in 1987. Randy was taking Ag for a semester science credit and was not real happy in my class. He soon warmed to the whole "Ag" thing and ended up being a leader, showed a steer ("Boss") at the fair and had a love for writing. Randy's untimely death in August, 1989, brought us all closer together and brought out the love that we truely had for the Kersey family.
I also worked a part- time job at the Circle K store across the street from where the Kersey's lived. W.T. was there every morning making coffee and dispensing his brand of knowledge to one and all. Whenever the lights would dim W.T. would say, "They've just fried another one in Stark", referring to the prisoner executions that were happening regularly in Florida during that time. More story: One morning I was in the backroom, door locked, preparing the previous day's receipts for deposit, when I looked up and there was Randy standing there. The little pill had stealthily crawled through the cooler door to say good morning to me. I could not be angry at Randy for doing this but suggested that he just knock the next time!
The Kerseys were a close- knit family. When Shirley passed away in 1998 I saw the love and admiration that the family and those of us who knew them shared. W.T. was the man of the family but we all knew who really ran the house!
I didn't see W.T. too often during the past ten years but whenever I did, it was the same old W.T., always quick with a joke or a story or a life lesson. Time seemed to melt away when you were around W.T. He was a hard working carpenter, never asked for anything that he didn't deserve, and I'm sure that his handshake was his bond.
Heaven needs W.T. up there too. I'm sure that "swamp cabbage" will be added to the heavenly menu from now on!
R.I.P. my friend. I have admired you as much as anyone that I have ever met during my life. You were a positive influence in many people's lives, including mine, in your own straightforward, sagacious, yet simple, way!
W.T. was my Grandpa.
ReplyDeleteWhat you said was more or less spot on. Ha "sawbones" and "Fried another one in Starke" Funny how time exiles things from memory and then something triggers it and is restored as clear as if it happened yesterday. Thanks for honoring him. I don't think I'll ever meet anyone like him ever again.