Dunwoody Crier - December 22, 2022

‘Resourceful and tenacious’

Sandy Springs woman invents recovery tool

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga.—When Dawn Clements was 23 years old and pregnant with her first child, she herniated five discs in her back. It’s a pain Clements remembers vividly decades later, and it’s what inspired her to invent the Fit Buddy.

The Fit Buddy looks unassuming. It’s curved, with a pointed edge on one side. Despite its simplicity, the fitness tool has over 20 applications for muscle tension, recovery, mobility and flexibility.

The packaging shows a few of the uses, like standing on the curved wood to stretch calf muscles or putting the point of the tool into the palm of the hand. Clements uses the Fit Buddy every day to massage her body.

After Clements herniated the discs in her back, she spent years looking for a solution. Surgery at the time was too high risk, and she got dismissed from physical therapy for not making progress. Clements then started looking at alternatives to traditional medicine.

CLEMENTS Page 3

Dunwoody approves field usage contracts for area sports groups

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council approved a facility usage agreement Dec. 12 allowing Dunwoody Senior Baseball to continue using the fields at Brook Run Park.

The 2023 agreement also allows the Dunwoody High School Softball Booster Club to use the west field from Aug.1- Oct. 31, Monday-Thursday, from 4-7 p.m.

Representatives from Dunwoody Senior Baseball say the new softball slot will restrict the number of baseball players the league can host.

During the public comments portion of the meeting the council heard from Peter Keohane, who serves on the governing board of the Dunwoody Senior Baseball Program.

“We had so many players [last fall] that we had to turn people away,” Keohane said. “Unfortunately, with the proposal to take three hours of

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Dawn Clements holds her invention, the Fit Buddy, and its instruction manual Dec. 12. Clements invented the Fit Buddy to help with muscle tension, recovery, mobility and flexibility.

December 22, 2022 | AppenMedia.com | An Appen Media Group Publication | Serving the community since 1976

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POLICE BLOTTER

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Hit and run wreck reported on Peachtree Industrial Blvd.

DUNWOODY, Ga. — On Dec. 11 Dunwoody Police investigated a hit and run wreck on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard that caused serious damage to one vehicle and minor damage to another.

Reports said the wreck occurred at 6800 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in Dunwoody at about midnight on Dec. 10, when a vehicle turning right onto the roadway was struck by a vehicle going in reverse, against the flow of traffic.

After the vehicles wrecked, the drivers reportedly exchanged information and even though the victim wanted to file a police report, the suspect driver drove away, saying they would contact police at a different time.

Police officers located the suspect driver’s vehicle just a short distance away, parked and inoperably damaged.

Due to conflicting statements made by both of the drivers and a two-hour time gap between when the wreck occurred and when it was reported, officers decided not to file charges for the incident.

Driver arrested for drugs, speeding, fleeing officers

DUNWOODY, Ga. — A driver who fled from a traffic stop with Dunwoody Police Officers has been arrested for drug possession and other charges.

Officers attempted to pull a vehicle over Dec. 12 after it was observed traveling northbound on Peachtree Road without tag lights. According to an incident report, the driver accelerated and continued driving, even after the officer’s emergency lights had been lit.

“As I merged onto Peachford Road,

PUBLIC SAFETY

I lost visual of the vehicle,” officers said in the report. “As I circulated the area, I observed the vehicle at the intersection of Peachford Rd and N Peachtree Rd. I initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver.”

The driver was asked to exit the vehicle and was placed in handcuffs after arguing with officers about why he had been stopped. Reports said the man had to be forced into a patrol vehicle after struggling with the officers.

During a search of the man’s vehicle, officers located a glass jar filled with marijuana in the glove compartment.

The suspect was charged with attempting to elude, speeding and possession of marijuana, and was transported to the DeKalb County Jail.

AT&T reports $7,000 theft at Dunwoody retail store

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Cell phones and electronic devices worth more than $7,000 were reported stolen from a Dunwoody AT&T store, police incident reports said.

The theft was reported Dec. 12 after a new manager took over the AT&T store at 4516 Chamblee Dunwoody Road and discovered seven iPhones and two pairs of Air Pod Pro were missing from the store inventory.

Officers discovered the equipment was taken from inventory on Nov. 17. Even though the store didn’t have video of the theft happening, employees said they believed the store’s ex-manager was responsible.

In total, $7,259 worth of merchandise was stolen from the store.

from home and didn’t realize the converter had been stolen until he started the car and heard extremely loud noises.

The man looked under his vehicle and saw the converter had been cut out.

No suspect in the theft had been identified at the time of the report.

Catalytic converter stolen from vehicle in

Dunwoody

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police reports said that sometime between Dec. 6 and Dec. 9, the catalytic converter of a vehicle parked at a local apartment complex was stolen by unknown thieves.

A victim reported his vehicle had been parked on level 2 of the Marq 8 apartment complex for three days while he worked

HANS APPEN Publisher

It was years before Clements really improved. She credits her chiropractor, swimming and massage as helping her improve. Yet at 46 and 47, Clements re-herniated her back.

“I went to see this chiropractor, and he said, ‘You need to take a rock or as a stick that has a rounded end, and you need to just press it into you,” Clements said.

She also started going to Korean yoga, where she used a wooden tool in class to stretch out her muscles.

“I just thought it would be so cool if it was well designed because I would use it in classes, and I just loved it,” Clements said. “I thought I could design one that’s better, with a point to get into that area myself.”

Once she had the idea, Clements dove into meetings with chiropractors, physical therapists, personal trainers and doctors to figure out the best design and use for the tool. She wanted it to be as functional as possible

“It was going in finding more ways to use it, finding what they liked and didn’t like,” Clements said.

She would create prototypes with Styrofoam and shape it using a hot knife, going through numerous iterations of the tool before she settled on her favorite. She created the first official model in 2016 with a woodworker.

The result was lightweight wooden tool called the Fit Buddy, an easy to transport companion for any moment.

Creating the product was one thing, with multiple roadblocks and three different manufacturers. Clements had to learn how to manage production, quality control and the work of a new business.

Selling the product was a new challenge entirely.

Clements sold one of her first Fit Buddies to a friend on her tennis team, Alyson Rogers. They’ve been playing tennis together for close to 15 years, and Rogers went to the yoga classes where Clements got her inspiration.

“I mean it’s pretty amazing, honestly,” Rogers said. “I was proud of her and kind of admired her tenacity.”

Clements started taking her product anywhere she could, targeting people she knew dealt with pain and muscle tension.

“Before COVID-19, I would go into gyms and studios and I would have a banner and a mat,” Clements said. “I would also go to Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines and corporate events.”

Clements said flight attendants were a major focus when she designed the product. She knew they dealt with stiff and sore muscles and wanted to ensure the Fit Buddy could fit easily in a carry-on.

She also wanted it to be accessible in exercise spaces. Clements eventually got

her product into a gym used by players from the National Football League and the National Basketball Association. Soon enough, they started using her products.

Before the onset of COVID-19, Clements taught classes where she would demonstrate how to use the tool.

“It’s pretty awesome watching her get out there and telling people about it,” Rogers said.

Clements said even in casual interactions, she can tell when someone is an athlete or deals with chronic pain. She’ll strike up conversation to introduce the Fit Buddy to them.

“If people are professional athletes, a lot of it is in the way they carry their body and make eye contact,” Clements said.

With one athlete, after a brief conversation, he showed her even more ways to use the tool — something Clements said is a frequent occurrence.

“I’m an extrovert, and I love to talk to people,” Clements said. “I love to learn.”

Clements patented the design for the Fit Buddy in 2019, but she still works on the product.

“She’s still tweaking it along the way,” Rogers said.

Clements said she’s open to learning about new uses for the Fit Buddy. She’s also had to learn a lot about running a business. With a degree in communications, a lot of her education happened as she began her business, or with a women entrepreneur program she joined.

Now, decades after her herniated discs and years from the idea for the Fit Buddy, Clements said she has at least 1,000 Fit Buddies in circulation. It’s a number she only hopes will grow over time.

“I would love to get it into the gyms where the Atlanta Falcons or Hawks or working out,” Clements said, “to actually do a workshop with the athletes.”

Sitting in her office, Fit Buddy in hand, Clements reflected on what’s motivated her through the years of work.

“My father always said I was resourceful and tenacious,” Clements said. “I think that’s benefitted me because it’s ingrained in my mind that I’m resourceful and tenacious, and you have to be in business.”

Dawn Clements demonstrates how to use the Fit Buddy to help with hand pain, rotating her palm on the rounded point of the tool.

PHOTOS BY DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

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Dunwoody:

Continued from Page 1

field time four days a week from the Dunwoody fall program, it’s going to mean a reduction in the number of players. Our estimation is between 40 and 60 players we’ll have to cut for next year.”

Keohane also suggested the need for more field space.

In response to these comments, Mayor Lynn Deutsch suggested that Dunwoody-based teams be prioritized for access to the fields, which are also frequented by groups from Chamblee and Sandy Springs. Council members pointed out that while high school teams from nearby cities use Dunwoody public fields, the same is true of Dunwoody kids who go to fields in neighboring cities to play little league.

Mayor Deutsch then suggested that private schools use their own fields to practice.

Also at the meeting, the council voted to allocate an extra $355,000 in funds from Dunwoody’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) allotment to fund seven additional nonprofits. These funds come from the American Rescue Plan Act, which Congress passed in March 2021 to help the country’s economy recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In June, the council voted to fund direct assistance to non-profits using $2 million from the original ARP allotment of $18.4 million.

With the new additions, $1.3 million of the $2 million will be donated to 19 different entities, including Dunwoody Nature Center, Spruill Arts Center, Adult Day Foundation, and the Community

Assistance Center.

In other business at the meeting, police officer Jared Bradley was presented with his oath of office by Mayor Deutsch, signifying his return to the Dunwoody Police Department. In 2018 Bradley, then a four-year veteran of the force, fatally shot an armed robbery suspect at the Winters Village Shopping Center on Winters Chapel Road. Bradley was placed on administrative leave. Following a GBI investigation, Bradley returned to duty but left the force in 2020.

Also at the meeting, the City Council approved the Discover Dunwoody 2023 budget for $2.2 million. The projected revenue budget is around $40,000 higher.

Discover Dunwoody’s 2023 goals include attracting more business and group travel during the week as well as showcasing the city as a destination for the film industry. Councilmembers discussed the possibility of creating a convention center and addressing the lack of economy hotels in Dunwoody.

The council also held a brief discussion on plans concerning the upcoming public art project for the Womack Road retaining wall. After realizing the project would cost $500,000, Director of Economic Development Michael Starling recommended the city pursue a smaller mural that won’t encompass the entire wall.

In January, the Dunwoody Art Commission will discuss ideas for the project that use local talent.

Also at the meeting, council approved an allocation of approximately $400,000 from the ARP fund for stormwater system repairs on Dunwoody Club Drive, Glenrich Drive, and Vernon Oaks Drive.

More ARP funding goes to nonprofits

At the Dec. 12 meeting, the Dunwoody City Council approved grants for seven nonprofits. The organizations will share $355,000 in federal funding allotted to the city as part of the American Rescue Plan.

• Dunwoody Preservation Trust$15,000 - To provide subsidies and scholarships for camp for those adversely affected by COVID; to provide access for Title I schools to have field trips to or class activities from DPT.

• Clubhouse Atlanta - $50,000 - To provide partial funding for a position to help those with disabilities achieve local employment.

• Adult Day of Dunwoody Foundation - $25,000 – To provide scholarships and subsidies for disabled individuals

who need day services.

• Community Assistance Center - $100,000 - To provide direct financial assistance to qualified residents of Dunwoody.

• Corners Outreach - $100,000 - To provide educational opportunities through activities like afterschool and summer camp to those disenfranchised by COVID.

• Cowart Family YMCA - $50,000

- To provide recreation activities to Dunwoody residents affected by COVID, including classes and daycare through subsidies and scholarships.

• Temple Emanu-El (Backpack Buddies) - $15,000 - To purchase food andsupplies to provide meals to local school children affected by COVID.

On Jan. 16, Dunwoody will host the seventh annual MLK Day of Service. Residents can volunteer in gardening projects, blood drives, food drives and cleanups.

City to host 7th MLK Day of Service

DUNWOODY, Ga. —Dunwoody Parks and Recreation has partnered with the Dunwoody-Atlanta Jack and Jill for America Chapter for volunteer service projects in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The city will observe it’s seventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Jan. 16. The department began the “Souper Bowl of Caring” food drive on Dec. 1, which will continue until the MLK Day event. The city pledged to collect 55,000 pounds of food for the Community Assistance Center and Malachi’s Storehouse, a food pantry in Dunwoody.

Residents can volunteer for various projects, including tree and daffodil planting at Brook Run Park, blood donations through the BloodMobile at Brook Run Park, tree planting at Dunwoody Nature Center and painting and organizing at the Spruill Center for the Arts.

“We’re proud of our partnership with Jack and Jill, and we’re grateful for the volunteers who turn out every year in the spirit of giving back, inspired by Dr. King,” Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said. “From helping the hungry to supporting our environment, the projects tied to this day of service really make a difference.”

Jack and Jill of America, Inc. is a national community service organization formed by African American mothers in the 1930s focused on community service and leadership.

Residents interested in volunteering can register on the Dunwoody website.

DUNWOODY/ PROVIDED

And a Mindful New Year

Written by Bailey Little, Licensed Associate Professional Counselor at Summit Counseling Center

We all have different pictures that come to mind when we hear the word “mindfulness.” Some of us may think of sitting cross-legged deep in meditation, while others of us may think of sitting outside near a flowing stream. Some of us may have little or no experience with mindfulness at all. Let’s break down exactly what mindfulness is and look at some ways to incorporate this useful practice into the stressful and exciting first days of 2023.

Mindfulness can be defined as “paying attention on purpose.” In our busy, hectic lives, we often find ourselves going through the motions, moving from one thing to the next without truly being present. Mindfulness is a way of practicing being present in each moment by taking back control of our attention from the multitude of distractions in our daily lives. This mindset shift takes practice and may feel frustrating or boring at first, but mindfulness has been proven to have many benefits to our physical and mental health.

If being more present in everyday moments with friends and family isn’t benefit enough, check out these other benefits of mindfulness:

• Reduces stress and anxiety

• Improves focus

• Reduces symptoms of depression

• Improves sleep and energy levels

• Increases overall well-being Maybe you’re not the type to

sit for extended periods of time in meditation (if you want to give it a try, I recommend starting with a guided meditation mobile app like “Stop, Breathe, Think” or “Calm”). Luckily, there are many ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life, including some that you may be already doing! Here are a few simple ways to practice mindfulness during this busy season:

• Complete a puzzle. Here’s the key to making it mindful: turn off the background music or tv show and give the puzzle your full attention.

• Go for a walk, alone or with a friend, and point out things you see along the way.

• Listen to music and reflect on the meaning of the lyrics or the emotions it evokes.

• Sit outside with your eyes closed for 2 minutes and identify as many sounds as you can.

• And finally, single-tasking. Yes, we live in a world that praises and seems to require multi-tasking, but slowing things down and giving all your attention to one thing at a time is a great, effortless way to incorporate mindfulness in all your daily activities!

This is a great time of year to practice slowing down, being present, and paying attention on purpose. Therapists at The Summit Counseling Center incorporate many tools, such as mindfulness, in their practice to help those in need. To learn more about our services and find a therapist, visit our website at summitcounseling.org. Here’s to a mindful 2023!

Christmas trees and heroes

In honor of the holiday season this week’s column will explore the transition of one man from combat pilot to successful Christmas tree farmer.

trees and nurtured them during their 4-5 year growing cycle and opened for business the day after Thanksgiving in 1990.

Born in San Jose, California, Gordon Hunter attended UCLA on a Naval ROTC scholarship. After graduation in 1964 he was sent to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, where two years later he earned his wings. He soon found himself in the middle of the Vietnam War aboard the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin. There he piloted an A4 Skyhawk, a nimble delta-wing single pilot attack bomber. Skyhawks logged more missions in Vietnam than any other naval aircraft, and 195 carrier based Skyhawks were shot down during the war with their hero pilots either killed or taken captive.

BOB MEYERS Columnist bobmey@bellsouth.net

Gordon served three deployments in Vietnam, flying nearly 300 combat missions. Gordon said during one of his deployments they lost nearly one-third of their pilots, including the future U.S. Senator John McCain who spent five years in a North Vietnamese prison.

The day he was shot down started off like any other daily bombing run with a breakfast of bacon and eggs to be followed by a 90-minute mission over Hanoi. A formation of 20 A-4 bombers from Hunter’s squadron, VA-163, known as the “Saints,” supported by two fighter planes squadrons of F-8 Crusader aircraft made the run. Pilots knew that the target area was well defended by missiles and 50 and 57mm heavy machine guns, any one of which could bring down a plane.

“You could usually avoid the surfaceto-air missiles if you could see them, but sadly, many did not,” Gordon said.

During his entire tour of duty his plane was hit only once by machine gun ground fire when a bullet lodged in the plane’s instrument panel.

After his Vietnam service, Gordon was assigned to be a Naval flight instructor at Lemoore Naval Air Station in California. One day he received a call from Delta Airlines. They needed pilots. Gordon accepted their offer and spent the next 30 years as a Delta pilot.

Gordon and his wife Brooke lived in Stone Mountain which was convenient to the Atlanta airport. Having been a competitive sailor all his life, while in Stone Mountain Gordon operated a part-time sailboat business. He also served in a Naval Reserve squadron based at Naval Air Station Atlanta (now closed) which was

co-based with Dobbins Air Force Base in Marietta.

In 1983, Gordon and Brooke bought a piece of property and moved to Milton where they considered various ways of using the property. After reading an article about Christmas tree farming, Gordon did research and concluded that growing trees would be a good family business and a way to generate income to pay for their four daughters’ college expenses. He and Brooke planted some 200-300 Virginia Pine

They bought an additional 100 Frazier fir trees, known for their fragrance, from North Carolina, trucking them to Georgia themselves. After experimenting with Virginia pine trees for several years, they switched to the naturally shaped and sturdy Leyland cypress trees. The current mix is about 200-300 Leyland cypress trees grown on the property and about 1,000 Frazier firs every year. The business is open to the public from Thanksgiving to mid-December.

For the Hunters, Christmas trees bring hope and light into the world and symbolize giving service to others, such as military service.

“The evergreen tree symbolizes eternal life and the spirit of Christ,” Gordon said.

Brooke’s background is also unusual for a Christmas tree farmer. She attended Brigham Young University for a year, spent a year of study abroad in Vienna, Austria, and then attended UCLA where she earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Modern Dance, the first degree of its kind in America. She taught dance at Fresno State University in California and Spellman College in Atlanta. She did choreography in local schools in north Georgia, and of course, she trimmed many trees. The business is now run by their daughters while Gordon and Brooke divide their time between Georgia and Florida.

The tradition of modern Christmas trees is often traced back to 16th-century Germany, although evergreens were used in pre-Christian times at the winter solstice to remind people of the coming spring. The winter solstice, the first day of winter, is also the shortest day of the year. This year, it falls on Wednesday, Dec. 21, when the North Pole is tilted furthest from the sun. On that date we will have eight hours and 46 minutes of daylight.

Christmas trees were generally restricted to Europe until the use of

decorated trees by Queen Victoria and her German born husband Prince Albert was popularized in the American press in the mid-1850s. We can thank the Victorian era for several important Christmas traditions such as Christmas cards and the decorated Christmas tree.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net.

LESLIE WATSON/PROVIDED

People attending the events at the Hunter Christmas Tree Farm can donate gifts to North Fulton Charities. The farm sells trees from Thanksgiving to midDecember.

FAMILY/PROVIDED

Lt. Commander Gordon Hunter is pictured standing on his Navy A-4 Skyhawk light bomber aboard the aircraft carrier Oriskany off the coast of Viet Nam. Hunter flew nearly 300 combat missions in Viet Nam. 1967.

The poetry of moving water

I went walking the other day along Amicalola Creek in Dawson County, and it was nice. You should do it too. It was the first time I’ve been walking like that in a while, and it made me realize I’ve missed it. Rediscovery can be good for the soul. It can.

Lately I’ve been doing something else again that I haven’t done in a long, long time. I’ve been sitting down with a pad of paper and a ballpoint pen and (are you ready for this?) rediscovering just how much fun it can be to writing poetry.

Yes, poetry.

But what, precisely, is poetry? I asked the Interweb for definition. Most all the sources agreed that poems are a highly developed and often sophisticated literary form that uses focused language and elements of rhythm to creatively express emotion or feeling.

Highly developed sophistication…focused…creative. Yep, that’s me.

All that notwithstanding, this poem writing thing turns out to be a remarkably effective way to crystallize thoughts and bring clarity to one’s mind.

It’s not like regular writing. Not at all. If I write some sort of “long form prose” (that’s writer talk for rambling on and on, kind of like I’m doing now) then I’ve got lots of words to play with and can pretty much go wherever I want to, at least until the laptop’s battery dies or Carl over at the paper sends me a note and says that, no, there really isn’t space to run a 26,000-word column on the subtle beauty of such-andsuch a waterfall.

With a poem, on the other hand, you’ve got fewer words to work with, and so every one really counts. You’ve got to choose them carefully. You’ve got to choose lots of things carefully in life, of course, and I suppose it’s possible that word choice when writing poems is good practice for the bigger choices that sometimes come along.

And if you really get carried away with the whole poetry thing, you can even selfimpose various limits that focus you even more. You could, for example, tell yourself that you’re gonna write a “haiku,” a kind of

poem written in three phrases with a total of 17 syllables. Just 17.

We poet types know about these things. Aren’t you impressed?

Let me tell you, that’s not a lot of syllables. With only 17 to play with, things like rhyme and meter and all that just sort of go out the window. What’s left is essence, essential meaning, the real and true heart of what you’re trying to say.

“But that’s still too easy,” she says. “Want a real challenge? Try doing it in six words.”

Six words? Only six?

“Yes,” she says. “And those six words must tell a story.”

The six-word story, she tells me, is a real thing. I am intrigued.

“Tell me more,” I say. “Give me an example.”

“OK,” she says.

She pauses then, and turns her eyes away, considering, composing. Then at last she looks at me again and says, her voice a little softer, “I find myself finding myself again.”

“Like that,” she says after a moment. “Six words.”

And now I’m walking beside Amicalola Creek. It’s early November. Delayed Harvest trout season has begun. The Ami, as they call it, is a good Delayed Harvest stream, a nice place to fish, and I’ve ended up at the access point near the Georgia 53 bridge – ostensibly to check out the water for a future edition of this column.

I make my way to the creekside trail. If I turn right, I’ll follow the flow upstream, walking along water that I’ve fished so many times before.

But I turn left instead. I follow the boardwalk downstream, away from what is so familiar, away from those waters I fished for so many years. I pass under the Highway 53 bridge, moving now beyond the road that brought me here.

I keep going. The creek grows more excited, more animated, gathering intensity –

I stop and listen. I listen to the poetry of moving water, the free verse of rapids, the haiku of riffles, and the six-word stories of each little splashing cascade.

Again, I hear in my mind’s ear her voice.

“I find myself finding myself again.”

I sit down on a rock. The music of the creek embraces me, and I listen.

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STEVE HUDSON

OPINION

Christmas with Charlie and Myrtice Blackburn

In the last Past Tense, I shared some of the story of Charlie and Myrtice Blackburn as told in the 1978 Dunwoody Crier article, “A Life Shared and Times Remembered.” Every year they celebrated Christmas and their wedding anniversary because they married Dec. 24, 1922.

Chamblee. From there they boarded the engine known as Buck, which was part of the Roswell Railroad. The route of the Roswell Railroad was from Chamblee through Dunwoody and on to the Roswell Depot, just south of the Chattahoochee River.

a tree in their home. The one at the church was cut on Christmas Eve and decorated before church that night.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Their marriage took place at the Dunwoody Methodist Church parsonage, the home of the church minister. The parsonage sat where Dunwoody United Methodist Church is today. The church building was on the other side of Mount Vernon Road. There were only two churches in Dunwoody, the Methodist and Baptist, both small wood buildings.

Myrtice Loyd was born in 1899 and Charlie was born in 1904. He lived most of his life in Dunwoody but lived in Atlanta a few years as a child. Charlie recalled the train trip his family would take to visit his grandparents Calhoun and Mary Jane Copeland Spruill for Christmas.

Charlie Blackburn’s family rode the Air-Line Belle from Atlanta to

Grandfather Spruill would meet the family at the Dunwoody Depot. It was usually night when they arrived, and Spruill would carry a lantern to guide everyone to the family home on Chamblee Dunwoody Road, just south of Mount Vernon Road. In later years, Dunwoody School principal Elizabeth Davis and her husband Manget Davis lived in this same house.

Myrtice Loyd was part of a family that also went by the name Lord. Genealogy records found on ancestry.com show that the family is documented as Lord in census and other records. However, the gravestones of Myrtice’ parents bear the name Loyd.

Charlie and Myrtice Blackburn both shared that their Christmas morning presents consisted of an apple or orange and a small toy. Some years there might be a peppermint stick. Only the children received presents. The couple also recalled that there was a Christmas tree at the church in those days, but no one had

Arnold Eugene “Gene” Watson In Memoriam

Arnold Eugene “Gene” Watson of Dunwoody, GA went to be with his Lord on December 8, 2022, at the age of eighty-five after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Gene was born in Bristow, OK to Price Marvin and Ruby (Golden) Watson. He graduated Cum Laude from Mississippi State University and then began his illustrious 33-year career with IBM. Gene was married to the love of his life, Ethel Inez Beaver, for fiftynine happy years. Together they raised two sons, two daughters and were preceded in death by an infant daughter, Jeanine Leah. Gene is survived by his wife, Ethel, and their four children: Andrew Watson (Michelle) of Las Vegas, NV, Philip Watson (Lisa),

of Simpsonville, SC, Noella Thwaites of Duluth, GA, and Jeanine Reagan (Steve) of Flowery Branch, GA. He was also Pappaw to six living grandchildren: Katie Tobias, Victoria Parrella (Luc), Matthew Watson, Thomas Thwaites, Kristen Camp (Jay) and Eliana Reagan. His memorial was held on Monday, December 12, 2022 at H.M. Patterson Funeral Home - Oglethorpe Hill Chapel in Atlanta, GA. A graveside service was held on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson, MS. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation in Gene’s name to Samaritan’s Purse, Gideons International or the Alzheimer’s Association.

A big dinner was served on Christmas Day, with ham, chicken, homemade cakes and pies. Everything was cooked on a wood-burning stove. Charlie explained how dinner was served at noon, elaborating, “Some high-falootin people call supper dinner, but that’s not right.”

Charlie died in 1984 and Myrtice in 1987. They are both buried in the historic New Hope Cemetery along Chamblee Dunwoody Road just north of Dunwoody Village Parkway.

The next Past Tense will feature more history of the Air-Line Belle and Nancy Hanks engines and their importance for traveling during the holidays, both for visiting family and for shopping in Atlanta. If you have memories of these trains, please share them by email.

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

This 1925 photo includes five generations of Charlie Blackburn’s family. Beginning on the bottom right corner is great grandmother Salina Copeland, bottom left is grandmother Mary Jane Copeland Spruill holding Edward Blackburn (Charlie and Myrtice Blackburn’s son), top left is mother Eliza Spruill Blackburn, and top right is Charlie Blackburn.

In Memoriam

Norma Johnson

On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, our mother and Grandmother, Norma Johnson, passed away into God’s graces. Norma Dell Demaree was born in Norfolk, Nebraska on January 21, 1928.

As a young girl, Norma loved music and dance, especially tap dancing. She attended and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska. Following graduation, Norma was an elementary school teacher. In 1951 she married the love of her life, Loren Ray Johnson, from Stanton, Nebraska. They began their life together, moving a handful of times to follow Loren’s career, and growing their family along the way. She was a loving and nurturing mother to their four children Laurie, Kathleen, Jeff, and Todd. The couple moved to Dunwoody, Georgia in 1969 and enjoyed a full and active life in the community. Norma participated in many activities and was a compassionate volunteer for numerous organizations, including feeding the homeless, serving as a literacy program advocate, and various church sponsored programs helping those

in need. Norma’s grandchildren were her pride and joy; she cherished the time she was able to spend with each one of them. Norma is survived by three of her children - Laurie Goodwin (Paul), Jeff Johnson (Linda), and Todd Johnson (Monica). She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Bryan Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Lauren Johnson, Kristen Johnson, Megan Nash, Nicholas Nash, and Emma Goodwin. Norma is predeceased by her husband, Loren, her daughter, Kathleen, and her brother, Duane. Norma enjoyed a long and full life with a loving family and lifetime friends. Memories of her warmth, laughter, wit, and love will be cherished by all who were fortunate to know her. Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 14, 2023, 11:00AM, at Kingswood United Methodist Church, 4986 N. Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338. The service will be live streamed and recorded (Kingswood.Church) for those who are unable to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The American Cancer Society.

PROVIDED

PET OF THE WEEK

Ros

Ros (ID# 51028295) - Ros is a very handsome boy who is a good, easy-to-manage size. He seems housetrained and probably knows lots of other good stuff. Around the shelter, he is known as a “love bug” because he is always ready with hugs and kisses. Bring Ros home and fall in love too.

Our shelter is full of incredible pets waiting for homes, and to them, your love is priceless. We must find 500 homes; will yours be one of them?

Expand your family by 4 furry little feet; meet Ros and have a loving friend forever. All adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccinations and microchip. If you would like more information about Ros please call (404) 294-2165 or email adoption@dekalbanimalservices.com. All potential adopters will be screened to ensure Ros goes to a good home.

THE CITY OF DUNWOODY, GEORGIA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The City of Dunwoody Planning Commission will meet on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, which is located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following:

Special Land Use Permit Request (Case # 22-03) for 1822 Mount Vernon Road: The property owners, Anna Khoklan and Roman Khoklan, request a Special Land Use Permit to allow a 7-resident personal care home. The property owners also request a concurrent variance from Sec. 27-202, to allow additional parking.

Should you have any questions, comments, or would like to view the application and supporting materials, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.

DEATH NOTICES

Suzanne Blazovich, 81, of Alpharetta, passed away on December 11, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Helen Cox, 93, of Alpharetta, passed away on December 13, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Sara Fagundes, 87, of Roswell, passed away on December 11, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Veronica Genito, 60, of Milton, passed away on December 6, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Catherine Lindsey, 90, of Alpharetta, passed away on December 11, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Rosalie MacLaren, 98, of Alpharetta, passed away on December 8, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

The holidays are the worst for the unwanted pets, and most shelters are full. Rescues use boarding facilities at special rates year-round, but those places are in demand at high dollar rates this time of year. As a result, those pets need to be placed in temporary foster homes. If someone can open their home for fostering during the holidays that would help make room at the shelter for the owner surrenders. Fostering is not a lifelong commitment. It’s like being a grandparent - just provide a spot, food and love. Rescues pay the vet bills and will provide a crate and guidance. If you think you can help, email adoption@ dekalbanimalservices or call 404-294-2165

THE CITY OF DUNWOODY, GEORGIA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The City of Dunwoody Mayor and City Council will meet on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, which is located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following:

Text amendments to the Code of the City of Dunwoody for Chapter 20 Signs (Articles II through VII).

Should you have any questions, comments, or would like to view the amendment and supporting materials, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.

Michael Pannell, 42, of Roswell, passed away on December 7, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Linda Varni, 73, of Milton, passed away on December 7, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Betsy Whitley, 92, of Sandy Springs, passed away on December 10, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Solution

A note from The Crier’s friends at DeKalb County Animal Services: