It’s become all too familiar that I read the obituaries in The Tribune and see that someone has passed who has touched my life in some way.

On New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 2010, Gary (Perk) Myers, husband of Mary Ann Corn Myers, father of Tammy, Deedrea, Stephanie, and Shane, passed. Daughter Mary Annetta preceded him in death.

When I began grade school in 1953, one of my classmates was Butch (Paul) Myers. I became aware that Coal Grove had a mayor. Butch’s father, Gene Myers, was Coal Grove’s mayor.

Butch had several brothers whom I would become friends with over the next fifty some years. Grizzle (Bill) began school the following year in 1954. Butch, Grizzle, and I all played high school football together in the mid 1960s.

Dick Myers became an athletic official in the late 1960s. He would referee several Jr High football games for me during this time period.

Bob Myers was a member of the Coal Grove Village Council when I was a part-time Coal Grove policeman in the early 1970s.

Butch, Grizzle, Dick, and Bob Myers all preceded Gary in death. Now, Gary has joined them in passing.

After graduating high school in 1965, I watched many a Hornet game against the old cable fence on the 20-yard line with Gary Myers.

He was the consummate Hornet fan. We always managed to make all the right calls as grandstand coaches.

Gary Myers, an Air Force veteran, worked and retired from Armco Steel. I worked in public education. Our paths crossed once more when Gary was elected to the Dawson-Bryant Board of Education in the early 1970s. We had many fine discussions about providing quality education and helping young people get a start in life in the right direction.

Gary was a founding member of the Coal Grove Little League Baseball. He loved kids of all ages. I know it pained him greatly to hear a child might be heading in the wrong direction.

He would ask, “How can I help?” Gary always had the children of Dawson-Bryant Local School District best interest at heart.

After retiring from Armco Steel, Gary would once again have the chance to work with kids again.

However, this time it was young men as he was employed at the Lawrence County Vocational School as a diesel mechanics instructor in the adult classes.

Gary Myers, husband, father, educator, and board member has passed. He never met a child that he didn’t like and wouldn’t go out of the way to help.

During his lifetime, Gary Myers exemplified what it means to be a true Lawrence Countian.

Mike Nourse is a retired educator and contributing columnist for The Tribune. He lives in Coal Grove with wife Clara Gail, also a retired educator.