Lewis County mourns deaths of two icons

It's hard to believe that Hohenwald lost two of its favorite sons in the space of just a few hours last week.

First to go was teacher, educator, musician, school principal, band and choir director, Kenny Graves. Kenny had been ill for a very long time, and we as choir members of 1st United Methodist Church saw his illness first hand for close to eleven years as he struggled over and over again to get rid of the cancer that was causing the problem. But he wouldn't give up and his wife Cindy would say something like - they have found more cancer in him, and he is having to go in for another series of operations. We each thought this is probably the last time we shall see Kenny, but no, he fought the good fight time after time and there he was on a Wednesday night's choir rehearsal leading us again and planning the Christmas Cantata.

He was a great choir director who produced the best in such a small group of people, some of the Christmas Cantatas were incredible, pulling the best out of each and everyone in the choir to make sure the piece of music we were singing was the best it could be.

Last Friday morning we all gathered at 1st United Methodist to say our last farewells to Kenny, and within an hour, in fact before he had been laid to rest, the word was starting to circulate that another congregation member had passed. The very much beloved and wonderful character, Jimmy Hurt, had passed away at Maury Regional just an hour or so before we started Kenny's service.

It's heartbreaking to lose two people such as Kenny and Jimmy, two people who had devoted their lives to their hometown of Hohenwald for so many years. In the case of Jimmy Hurt it went back to the days of Jimmy's father, Isham, when he had the soda shop where Ann's Flower Shop is today. These people and their families can best be described as "Movers and Shakers."

They were members of a small handful of people who planted the seed for the Hohenwald we love and enjoy today.

Jimmy will be known, not just for his funny side and putting a smile each day on people's faces (mine was one of them), but also for his generosity to charities and also to 1st United Methodist Church where both had been members for many decades.

It will be a dreadful heartache for both wives, for Cindy Graves, and of course Sue Hurt. We can only say to both of you, your husbands will be sadly missed, but the legacy they both left will remain for many years to come.

Rest in peace Kenny. Rest in peace Jimmy.