Wilson has become a true friend

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August 30, 2007

By JAMES BROWN The Glasgow Daily Times Thu Aug 30, 2007, 02:07 PM CDT

GLASGOW — In March of 2003, I visited Glasgow for the first time. It was my initial interview with then editor Layne Bruce about coming to the Daily Times to be the sports editor.

I knew Layne from the Star Herald in Kosciusko, Miss., but we went to dinner that night with the man Layne was replacing. Well, replacing is the wrong word. The man whose shoes he was going to hang on the wall and know he could never fill — those of Joel Wilson.

Myself, my wife, Joel and his wife, Anna, and Layne sat at the round table by the fireplace in the back of the building where Bolton’s Landing was until last year. We ate a great meal, especially the biscuits, my wife commented, and talked about the town and the people and the things to expect if I decided to come to work here. Obviously, we decided to make the jump.

But that’s not what this story is about.

After dinner, my wife and I returned to our hotel room to discuss what we should do. One of the first things she said was, “Did Joel remind you of Billy?” and I said, “Yeah, he did.”

Billy is my stepfather. He and my mother met when I was about 16. They married after I got out of high school and joined the Army. He’s one of the best people I know as far as hard-working, dedicated, convicted and honest. He’s one of the best things that ever came into my mother’s life. They’ve been married for, I think, 16 years.

But of all the things I’ve just mentioned, the biggest thing he ever did was accept me as one of his own children. I’ve never felt like a stepson to him, but as his son.

For my wife to say that Joel reminded her of Billy was to say a lot and I can honestly say that over the more than four years that I’ve known him since that day, he’s more than once reminded me of Billy.

They share very similar value systems, demeanors and work ethics. They’re of the same generation, so I don’t know if that has something to do with it. They also share the same birthday, but a few years apart. Billy is about five years older than Joel.

All of this is mentioned because yesterday was our former editor emeritus’ last day at the Daily Times. He has officially retired this time, although I understand he’ll still be writing a column for us. That will be great because I know he has a lot of adoring fans who love to read his word each week.

I know I read his column every Friday and there are times I have professional jealousy. Last week’s column about the church bus that broke down on Interstate 65 and the local church giving those people a place to stay was a fine example of what his value is to this paper and this community. He is a storyteller for us. Those people were valued in older societies because they were the ones who kept families informed about the happenings in the world.

I still value those people and the stories they have to tell. I’ll miss being unable to roam back to Joel’s desk from time-to-time to hear his stories. I guess we’ll have to start making dinner arrangements.

James Brown is the news editor for the Daily Times. He can be contacted by e-mail at jbrown@glasgowdailytimes.com

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