Dunwoody Crier - November 24, 2022

Newly promoted Reserve general lauds Dunwoody

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — After 30 years of service, longtime Dunwoody resident Bill Dyer was promoted to the rank of major general in the U.S Army Reserve at a recent cer emony in Washington, D.C. Dyer has spent 26 years in the Army Reserve with two combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Major general is the highest permanent peacetime rank in the army. Dyer will command the Army’s 108th training command, leading over 10,000 soldiers in providing initial entry training to future Army members. Dyer doesn’t take the responsibility lightly.

“Rather than view the rank as a reward, I use it as a tool to accomplish good,” Dyer said.

Across the decades, Dyer has worked his way up in the military. He credits the Dunwoody community with moti vating him to this point in his career, especially through difficult combat tours and long periods away from home.

“I was representing people, including my tribe here in Dunwoody,” Dyer said. “That sometimes gave me a little extra boost that I needed to push through a difficult situa

Georgia House Speaker Ralston dies from illness

By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat

BILL DYER/PROVIDED

Maj. Gen. Bill Dyer receives his promotion at a Washington, D.C., ceremony in October.

DUNWOODY, Ga. — In December, Dun woody residents will have two opportuni ties in December to offer input on the master plans for citywide trails and the park at Vermack Road.

An open house for the master trail plan will be Dec. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dunwoody City Hall. The city is seek ing ideas on trail routes, trail types and destinations. This is the city’s first opportunity for feedback on the citywide trail.

The plan follows a recent agreement between the Dunwoody City Council and Georgia’s PATH Foundation to cre ate a master trail. PATH aims to turn the Atlanta metropolitan area into the

most trail connected city in the United States.

For the park at Vermack, the City Council requested more time and public input. The open house for the park will be held Dec. 10 from noon to 2 p.m. at 4809 Vermack Road, the site of the new park.

At the park at Vermack open house, residents can review the newest concept plan and walk the property. The area will be marked with sizes and locations of possible future amenities.

“Master planning helps shape the vision of future projects, and robust public input is critical,” Dunwoody City Manager Eric Linton said.

Dyer: UGA graduate Delaney Tarr joins Appen Media as reporter

ROSWELL, Ga. —

Appen Media Group announced Nov. 15 that Delaney Tarr will join its staff as a reporter. Tarr will cover local government and community news. She will report to Carl Appen, director of content and development, and be based in Alpharetta.

“It’s a great day when we can add someone like Delaney to our team,” Appen said. “She has multi-media chops and a fair, inquisitive approach to reporting. I’m excited to see the impact she’ll have, and drive, in our community.”

Originally from South Florida, Tarr recently graduated from the University of Georgia’s journalism program. In her time at UGA, Tarr worked for local newspaper the Red & Black, as well as student-run news station Grady Newsource. Tarr covered politics, culture and food across outlets and platforms.

“I’m excited to do the boots-on-theground coverage I’ve always dreamed of,” Tarr said. “To me, journalism has always been about the stories of people and community. Local news is vital to that, and I’m thrilled to finally play a part in it.”

To contact Tarr with news tips or story ideas, email delaney@ appenmedia.com.

the Air Force as an engineer. After his first tour, Dyer decided to attend law school. The jobs were sparse after graduating.

“A friend suggested I look at the Army’s legal function,” Dyer said. “It seemed like a great opportunity to get experienced quickly.”

Newly married, Dyer signed up for a few years of service and moved to Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. After four years, he joined the Army Reserve for a “more stable existence” for his wife and young daughters. In the Army Reserve, Dyer could hold a “civilian” job and live at home while fulfilling military duties.

The work started off small — a week end here, a summer trip there. Over the years, his military responsibilities grew to the workload of a full-time job. Shortly after moving to Dunwoody, Dyer briefly considered leaving the military to spend more time at home with his children.

Then came the Sept. 11, 2001, at tacks.

At the time Dyer’s longtime neighbor Rod Warren barely knew the family, but he knew what Dyer would do.

“I asked, ‘When are you going over to Iraq’ before he even told anyone,” Warren said. “I knew he had to go.”

Dyer decided not to leave the mili tary, and instead opted for a combat tour in Iraq.

“I owed it to my country and my family and my community to do these things,” Dyer said.

When Dyer deployed to Iraq, he had to leave his family behind. Dyer said his wife became a single parent overnight.

“I couldn’t imagine for his wife, Jill, having to be in a new house with two little kids in a new neighborhood,” long time neighbor Sharon Hobby said.

Thankfully, the Dunwoody commu nity came together to help the family. Dyer recalls the way neighbors and new friends rallied around his family, ensuring Jill could take breaks and his daughters could participate in familyoriented events. Warren even acted as a father figure to Dyer’s daughters in the early days of his combat tour.

“A lot of times we would put together baskets to send, like care packages,” Hobby said.

When he came home from a combat tour, the neighborhood lined the street with yellow ribbons. When he was pro moted to major general, they decorated his driveway with American flags.

“Things randomly like, the trash cans at the bottom of the street would get taken to the house,” Dyer said. “The little things like that were just remark able.”

Warren sees the community support as a given.

“It’s important that we support the military so that they can support us,” Warren said.

Still, Hobby said that even with Dyer’s work commitments, the family is a consistent presence in the community.

“They would always find time to vol unteer to host a cookout for the neigh borhood,” Hobby said. “So just super generous with their time to the com munity as well as in the service, which I just found so admirable.”

For Dyer, it’s important that the sup port run both ways. It’s why he’s stayed in Dunwoody for so long.

“This just became our family,” Dyer said. “Dunwoody is not just the people who live in my neighborhood, it’s the broader community. It’s the friends we have across Dunwoody.”

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Ralston: Remembering Speaker David Ralston

bers of his family were with him when he passed away, his office announced.

Speaker Ralston”s body was to lie in state in the Rotunda of the State Capitol Nov. 22 and 23. Funeral services were scheduled for 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 27, at Fannin County High School Perform ing Arts Center in Blue Ridge.

Ralston announced early this month that he would not seek election by his House colleagues to another term as speaker, citing his health. Voters in the 7th House District in Northwest Georgia reelected him Nov. 8 without opposition.

At the time of his death, Ralston was the longest currently serving state house speaker in the nation.

As provided by the Georgia Constitu tion, House Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones, R-Milton, will serve as speaker for the remainder of the current term, which ends in January.

On Nov. 14, House Republicans nominated Majority Leader Jon Burns, R-Newington, to succeed Ralston as speaker. The full House will vote on the nomination on the first day of the 2023 General Assembly session Jan. 9.

Political leaders who served with Ralston remembered him as an effec tive leader who played a key role in the

major legislation the General Assembly adopted during his tenure.

“Speaker Ralston was a pioneer in the growth of Georgia’s Republican leader ship and leaves an indelible mark on this state,” Gov. Brian Kemp said. “His last session as speaker will long be remem bered for his landmark mental health re form bill, helping Georgians fight through inflation, and passing a historic income tax cut that puts more money in the pockets of taxpayers for years to come.

“We are also especially proud of our previous bipartisan efforts on reforming the citizens’ arrest law and adding an anti-hate crime statute to the Georgia code, which would not have happened without the speaker’s steadfast leader ship. These historic accomplishments were only a handful of the numerous hallmarks of David Ralston’s decadeslong service to Georgia.”

Other lawmakers expressed similar tributes.

“Speaker Ralston was a steady, reli able guiding force under the Gold Dome in good times and tough times,” added state Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, who was elected majority leader by Senate Republicans last week. “He cherished the idea of his beloved House being a body that truly represented all of Georgia’s people, and he respected each of the elected members that comprised it, regardless of partisan differences. It takes a genuinely good heart and decent

On this week’s episode of The Georgia Politics Podcast, the panel offers up their thoughts and memories of the late Speaker and reflects on his time in office.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or wher ever you get your shows.

appenmedia.com/podcasts

person to lead that way.”

Democrats, too, reflected on Ralston’s passing.

“Georgia Democrats join the en tire state in mourning Speaker David Ralston,” said U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, chairman of the Georgia Democratic Party. “Speaker Ralston was a statesman who led with fairness and honesty, looked for common ground, and always put his commitment to Georgia first. … Speaker Ralston will be missed dearly – by those who agreed with him, and by those who often didn’t.”

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

Frank

Tara Tucker

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Jim Moye – Monuments of faith

Village Park resident Jim Moye is an astounding business leader and phi lanthropist who used his resources to spread support, wisdom, and faith across the nation. He was raised in the midst of World War II. He lost his uncle to the war, before his father joined the forces. The fear of losing his father weighed heavily on Jim’s mind.

Jim’s close friend, Barry Sutlive cites that the fear and trauma changed Jim and molded his lifestyle saying, “He lived those years of his life, those formative years, really shutting himself down emo tionally. He was just hardening himself, being tough.”

The walls Jim built for himself car ried into his adolescence. He avoided vulnerability while striving for a life of success. He was captain of his high school football team, was voted most intelligent, became class president, at tended Georgia Tech, and he went on to marry the homecoming queen. Jim grew a prosperous insurance business, mark ing the start of his successful career. In spite of this, he felt empty.

Jim always pushed himself to achieve more. Instead of embracing his vulner ability, he adopted a crippling drive for

perfection which created tension with his family. Regardless of their success, his children grew distant. Jim became lonely, and eventually found himself in talks for a divorce.

It was in 1976, Jim was challenged by a man to attend a Christian confer ence and accept a path that he whole

OLEH KARATAIEV/PROVIDED

heartedly believed would turn Jim’s life around. Reluctantly, Jim attended and pledged himself to his newfound faith. He believed he had been called to reori ent his life for the betterment of his wife, his family, and those around him.

Jim spent the following years with a different attitude. His interest in

business wasn’t monetary; instead, he wanted to help as many people as he could. At this time, he began buying land along the Appalachian trail. When the government claimed eminent domain on the property, Jim sold the land to the U.S. Forest Service. However, he stipulated that the land should offer a purpose to its visitors. After negotiations with the government, an arrangement was made to have a monument placed on the trail for all to see. The monument, aptly named Moye Rest, serves as a beacon of Jim’s faith. He elaborates how travelers on the Appalachian Trail are hiking the trail to find something. For many, it’s purpose. For others, it’s clar ity. For some, it’s faith. Jim hopes that the monument will be there to inspire people in the same way he was inspired, for decades and decades to come.

Jim Moye continues to serve his community by inspiring those around him, and even hiked the trail over the Summer. His encouraging spirit cre ates joy for everybody who surrounds him. To hear more about his legacy and stories of other Village Park community members, visit our blog at www.village parkseniorliving.com or give us a call at (770) 416-0502. We look forward to hearing from you.

Brought to you by – Village Park

Brought to you by - Janet Fluker, Licensed Professional Counselor at Summit Counseling Center

For most, being able to care for an aging loved one is a privilege. Knowing that you are giving back to someone who has given so much to you can be rewarding. However, if you have limited time and resources, it can also be overwhelming. The pressure of being a caregiver can cause mental, emotional, and physical fatigue over time. A state of exhaustion called caregiver burnout can affect all areas of your life if not recognized and addressed.

What are the symptoms of caregiver

burnout?

• Increased anxiety – Always worrying about the well-being of your loved one or if you are doing enough.

• Being easily frustrated, irritated, or angered over small things – You might notice that you are increasingly getting upset over things that hadn’t bothered you before. Other family members may notice this as well.

• Lack of energy – Being a caregiver takes a lot of energy, and you may find you don’t have any left over for your own life.

• Sudden weight gain or loss – You may be soothing yourself with food or not eating regularly.

• Sleep problems – You might be wanting to sleep more than usual as an escape, or you might have trouble sleeping due to constant worry.

• Lost interest in activities you previously enjoyed – This can easily happen when you dedicate most of your time to caring for your aging loved one and neglect your own needs.

• Feelings of hopelessness – Constant caregiving can lead to depression or a feeling that the work never ends, especially as your loved one deteriorates.

• Increased illness – Constant stress can make you more susceptible to illness.

Caring for yourself is critical when experiencing caregiver burnout. Just like the saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” it can be difficult to care for an aging loved one when you are feeling depleted. Below are some suggestions for how you can practice self-care.

• Get respite – Your care plan should include days when your elderly loved one receives respite care so that you can take a break. You need time to de-stress and take care of your own needs.

• Find help – Share caregiving with other family members or reach out to your local Area Agency on Aging. Alert your church community and ask them for resources they are

aware of. The Department of Senior Services also connects Fulton County Seniors to the right resources - find out more at tinyurl.com/ fultonseniors.

• Establish boundaries – Sometimes your elderly loved one may have demands that seem unreasonable. Turn them down so that you can have the energy for the caregiving that is necessary.

• Get organized – Managing your own life (and maybe your children’s) and your loved ones needs is a lot to manage! Make lists, prioritize your work, and get into a daily routine. Ask members of your household to pitch in more than usual during this stressful time.

• Acknowledge your limitations –Remember that you cannot control everything, so focus on the things that you can control.

• Keep in touch with friends and family – Remember that you need your support system now more than ever!

• Stay active and don’t neglect your own health – Remember that you can’t take care of others if you aren’t taking care of yourself.

• Consider taking a break from your work – It may be impossible to work and be a caregiver at the same time, so consider using Family Medical Leave to make things easier to manage.

Whether you are caring for an ag ing parent or another loved one, being a caregiver can bring with it a lot of emotions and stress. If caregivers aren’t careful, they can jeopardize their own health. Sum mit Counseling Center is here to help you identify these stressors and provide the resources needed to improve your own wellbeing.

Five siblings from Head family serve during WW II

Recently I wrote about the Head family who lived along Chamblee Dunwoody Road. Their homes were where Boxwood Place, Shadow Bend, Shadow Court and Pine Acres Court are located. After dis covering that all five children of Roy and Pamela Head served during World War II, I wanted to know more about where and how they served.

were seen leaving the airplane. Search crews were sent out but did not find any survivors. Charlie and the other two men were reported as missing in action.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Lt. Richard Head was the oldest of the siblings, born in 1916. He did his training at Camp Hu len, Texas. His son, Larkin Head, shared that his father was a quartermaster. When the war ended, Lt. Head was on a troop ship off the coast of Okinawa.

Charles Morgan Head, known as Charlie, was born in 1917. According to his draft card, he had moved to Miami and was working for Woolworth’s. By 1943, he was a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces, serving in North Africa in the 380th Bomber Squadron, 310th Bomber Group, which was part of the 57th Bomb Wing.

On July 25, 1943, Charlie Head went out on a B-25 as the naviga tor along with pilot 1st Lt. Earl Stutts and engineer Staff Sgt. Alfred Jen

sen. They were checking a major re pair that had been performed on the left wing. (http://57thbombwing. com/310thHistory)

The eyewitness report of Maj. James Gavin describes the airplane taking two or three trips up and down the beach, turning east, then toward the Tabarka lighthouse. The airplane went into a dive and spin into the water. No parachutes

They are memorialized at the North Africa American Cemetery Tablets of the Missing in Tunisia. There is also a marker at Westview Cemetery placed by his family to memorialize Charlie Head. It reads, “In loving memory, Lt. Charles Morgan Head, U.S. Air Force 19171943.” (American Battle Monuments Commission, abmc.org)

Sgt. Roy Head Jr., born 1920, trained at Ford Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. He served overseas in the Third Army tank destroyer group under General Patton. He received a Bronze Star while serving in the 774th Tank Battalion. (Atlanta Constitution, Roy C. Head, Jr. obituary, Dec. 22, 2002)

Patricia Head was the only daughter and was born in 1922. She went from working as a secretary for her father to enlisting in the Aviation Women’s Reserve of the Marine Corps. Head de scribes her motivation.

“I’ve got four brothers in the servicein the air corps, anti-aircraft, and tank destroyer branches of the Army and in the Navy. I figured we ought to have at least one Marine in the family.”

She became a sergeant, working in the officer procurement department and finishing college at the same time. In May

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The City of Dunwoody Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council of Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following:

ZBA 22-19, 1199 Wynterhall Lane: Two variances: one variance from Sec. 16-78 to allow encroachment into the 75-foot stream buffer for a pool, retaining walls, and associated improvements and one variance from Sec. 27-269 to allow encroachment into the side setback for a retaining wall and retaining wall height up to 8 feet.

Should you have any questions or comments, or would like to view the application and supporting materials, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Members of the public are encouraged to call or schedule a meeting with the staff in advance of the Public Hearing if they have questions or are unfamiliar with the process. The staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.

HEAD FAMILY

From left, William Head, Charles Head, Roy Head Sr. and Roy Head Jr. gather on their property along Chamblee Dunwoody Road. This photo was probably taken in 1942 by Richard Head, also son of Roy Head Sr.

of 1943, she received her degree from the University of Georgia Evening College in a ceremony at Peachtree Christian Church. She wore her Marine sergeant uniform under her black graduation robe.

The Atlanta Constitution article features Patricia Head and Judge Robert Carpenter, who was graduating from the same program. Carpenter was a judge in the civil court of Fulton County. He gradu ated from Emory Law School in 1928 but had not quite completed his Bachelor of Science degree requirements. Patricia Head’s next step after graduation was going to boot camp. (Atlanta Constitu tion, May 28, 1943, “Girl Marine Sergeant, Judge will graduate together here”)

William Head was born in 1925. He went into the Navy V-12 program and was stationed at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. The V-12 Navy College Training program sent recruits to colleges and universities across the U.S. with a goal of supplementing the number of commissioned officers in the Navy.

Award-winning author Valerie Big gerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com

He played ObiWan

Italian resort

Kind of phone

Part-time & Full-time positions available. Pay is $12-$14 per hour. Hours starting at 6:30AM, Monday-Friday. Pick-up truck not required but must have your own reliable transportation. Gas allowance provided. Looking for people who enjoy working outside and are enthusiastic, dependable & punctual. Able to contribute independently or on a crew with consistently friendly attitude. Well-established commercial pool maintenance company providing service in the North Atlanta Metro area.

Supportive Service Coordinator:

The Supportive Service Coordinator (“SSC”) will be responsible for managing the social/supportive services for a portfolio of properties, under the supervision of the Company Asset Manager. This position will serve as a liaison between the Asset Manager and the property management company. This individual will primarily be responsible for managing compliance and reporting for supportive services and, secondarily, procuring grant funding to supplement the property service budget, and identifying local service providers to augment property offerings.

Full time hours. Requires a Bachelor’s degree in social work or education and a minimum of 5 years’ experience.

For a full job description and to submit a resume, please reach out to:

Samit Patel, spatel@rhgroup.org Resource Housing Group, Inc.

Part Time

skills are desired.

Requires successful completion of a criminal record and child abuse background check, a valid driver’s license and the ability to perform physical tasks. Full job description can be seen at https://alpharettapres. com/about-us/jobs/.

Qualified candidates please send resume to office@alpharettapres.com

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