2021 Men of Newton by The Covington News

Honoring 20 of the most outstanding

Men of Newton | Fall 2021

Congratulations Tommy Davis! Tommy Davis is a pillar of this community. It would be easy to list his many accomplishments both at the county and state level. But to put it simply when I think of Tommy Davis I think of Newton County. He has poured his heart and soul into serving Newton County. He serves through his business, JC Harwell & Son Funeral Home, through the Coroner’s Office and through his many charitable organizations, including the Rotary Club of Covington. Tommy Davis is known through out the county as a kind, caring, dependable, honest man. As his family we are always so proud of him and all of his good works. Congratulations! We love you! Mary Evelyn, Shelby, Ashley, Parks, Charlie, Davis, Amber, Tanner, Finn and Zoe JC Harwell & Son Funeral Home has been serving Newton County for over 125 years. When Tommy Davis purchased the funeral home in 2011 he revived it. We all enjoy serving Newton County through JC Harwell & Son, but what we truly love is working with Tommy Davis. He has been in this industry for over 37 years and that experience makes it such a joy to work with him. The manner in which he conducts himself with each funeral service and how he faithfully serves every family that walks through our door makes us proud to be apart of this business under his leadership. Congratulations Tommy! The staff of JC Harwell & Son Funeral Home

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CONGRATULATIONS, CHIEF DEPUTY JERRY CARTER! I congratulate Chief Deputy Jerry Carter for being named one of the 2021 Men of Newton. It has been an honor to work alongside you to serve and protect the citizens of Newton County. Thank you for your service and dedication. I also congratulate the other recipients of the 2021 Men of Newton.

Sheriff Ezell Brown

The Newton County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service, state-certified and nationally accredited law enforcement agency dedicated and committed to enforcing the laws enacted for the protection of the lives, persons, property, health, and morals of all citizens in Newton County, Georgia. 15151 Alcovy Road • Covington, Georgia 30014 678-625-1403 • www.newtonsheriffga.org

@newtonsheriffga Men of Newton 2021 | 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the Publisher | 5

which is published every Sunday and Wednesday by Newton Newspapers, Inc. OWNER pgraham@covnews.com

Taylor Beck

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER tbeck@covnews.com

4 | Men of Newton 2021

Index of Advertisers | 34

Men of Newton is a special publication of

Patrick Graham

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Men of Newton are models of character, professionalism

ho is it that you look up to? Who is your role model? These are questions often used as popular icebreakers, the subject of an essay in grade school, and even something a potential employer might ask during a job interview. But outside of these settings, how much do we really consider who our role models would be? Honestly, I would usually never give the subject the time of day, but as our staff has put together this magazine, it’s all I’ve been able to think about. Why? Because as I’ve read and written about these 20 outstanding men of Newton County, I’ve come to realize what great models of character and

professionalism each are for the next generation. But, our great readers probably already knew that. As it was for last year’s Women of Newton publication, each person featured in this year’s Men of Newton magazine was nominated by a member (or members) of the community. Something different you’ll notice is that three of the men featured this year are being honored posthumously, including the late Horace J. Johnson Jr., Sam Ramsey and Almond J. Turner. To be completely transparent, our original plan was not to do this. But after an overwhelming number of nominations for these men, we changed course, and I’m glad we did. I was unable to really get to know Judge Johnson, Mr. Ramsey or Mr. Turner before their deaths; however, I

have come to know several of our other featured men since moving to Covington just over a year ago. And I’ll say this, if I could live half the life, or even have half the positive impact as any of these men have in Newton County, then I will have lived a life to be proud of. On behalf of our staff, I hope readers enjoy learning about the influential lives of these 20 men of Newton County are left as inspired as I am.

Taylor Beck Editor and Publisher The Covington News

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Anderson Bailey By PHILLIP B. HUBBARD

phubbard@covnews.com

s a Covington native, Anderson Bailey has been involved a lot. For the past 15 years, Bailey has worked with the city of Covington in various positions. He’s also volunteered with the Newton County Recreation Department

as a coach, referee and umpire. Additionally, Bailey has worked as a Georgia High School Association (GHSA) referee for more than 20 years. Most recently, Bailey was elected to the Newton County School System Board of Education representing District 4. Bailey views his many

Congratulations to the 2021 Men of Newton! — Linda D. Hays

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positions as a way to help all of Newton County succeed. “Really, the city serves the community and the students, too,” Bailey said. “Yeah, we have flaws but, if we can bring unity in our community, we can accomplish a lot.” Bailey returned to Covington after serving in the military. Once he graduated from Newton County Comprehensive High School in 1979, Bailey entered the Army. There, he served in active duty for three years. He then enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard where he served for 20 years. Throughout his years of service, Bailey served as cavalry scout, administration clerk, communication chief and platoon sergeant before retiring as a staff sergeant. According to Bailey, he never envisioned himself living anywhere other than Covington when his time concluded in the military. “I wanted to come back to a place I knew and loved,” Bailey said. “I knew some people

in the Army who were against going back to their hometowns, but not me. I love Covington.” Bailey is married to another Covington native in Angela Bailey. They’re coming up on their 39th wedding anniversary in November. They have three children named Courtney, Yasmine and Anderico along with two grandchildren named Jaylin Gunn and Parker Bailey. Currently, Bailey sees Covington as a place that has a lot of potential. He pointed back to his campaign slogan when running for the board of education as a mantra he still abides by. Bailey’s hope is for the community to build on the foundation here and make Newton County better for the future. “I ran on ‘Anderson Bailey For All,’” Bailey said. “We need to realize that I don’t need to stop being your friend just because we disagree. If I can’t help you because of that, then I don’t need to help others. At the end of the day, we need to help everyone be successful.”

Doug Bolton By TAYLOR BECK

tbeck@covnews.com

oug Bolton has lived a life of service. Before retiring and moving to Covington, Bolton worked for 31 years at the DeKalb County Police Department after serving in the Navy. The Atlanta native held the rank of major before he stepped away from policing in 2004. He was in charge of the department’s South Precinct. At the conclusion of his days in law enforcement, Bolton became active within the Covington community. He joined the Rotary Club, and he has voluntarily served in just about every role imaginable for the club on local and district levels. This past spring, Bolton was named Rotary International District 6910’s Rotarian of the Year for 2021 and winner of the district’s five Avenues of Service awards. Bolton currently serves as Covington’s Club Administration Chair and serves on the district leadership’s board of directors. Over

the past several years, he has remained at the forefront of the club’s efforts in giving back to the community through various outreach programs, living up to the club’s mantra of “service above self,” to which Rotary Club of Covington Past-President Thomas Kephart and District Governor Tina D. Fischlin cited as their reasoning for his nomination. “Doug is the embodiment of what a Rotarian should be,” Kephart said. Rotarian of the Year is presented to a Rotarian

within the district who is in good standing with the club, active within the club and its respective community, and exemplifies the club’s Four Way Test. The Avenues of Service Awards are given to Rotarians at the club level who participate in service activities in one of the five Avenues of Service — club, vocational, community, international and youth service. At the district level, the award is presented to a Rotarian who serves in all five categories.

Bolton did just that. This past year alone, Bolton coordinated Farmers to Families — a USDA program created in response to COVID that provides food truck deliveries for free through local charitable organizations like Rotary. Bolton coordinated deliveries across the district, which encompasses nearly 50 counties and more than 70 clubs across the north and central portion of the state. About six years ago, Bolton helped oversee another Rotary project Men of Newton 2021 | 7

involving the fundraising and purchase of hundreds of wheelchairs to send to Morocco for people in need. Outside of Rotary, Bolton is active within his church — First Presbyterian Church in Covington — where Bolton helped start a program called Family Promise, which is an initiative to house homeless families. The model is to have the families stay at a different church from week to week. The church provides for each family, providing food and a place to stay, while getting themselves back on their feet. Since the pandemic began, the church has been limited in how it can help these families, but Bolton said

they are provided “move-in kits” to give families a helping hand. Bolton currently serves as board president for Covington’s Police Who Care, Inc., which is a nonprofit organization that was created over 30 years ago as a means to help Covington Police Officers with medical bills and other financial difficulties. Bolton was the first director of Hands on Newton. Hands on Newton was established in 2007 as a program of the Newton County Family Connection to foster volunteer service and civic engagement that address issues resulting from Newton County’s sudden and rapid population growth. Bolton was a 2009 recipi-

Newton County Board of Commissioners Congratulates Chief Deputy Jerry Carter and Coroner Tommy Davis and all the Men of Newton for their Outstanding Contributions to our Community 8 | Men of Newton 2021

ent of the “I Have a Dream” Martin Luther King Jr. Award from the Newton County Ministers Union for his work in Hands on Newton. Despite being retired, Bolton believes it’s important that he remain active within the community and put in work to help see it continue to grow and progress. “I just feel like I’ve been given so much in life, I like to give back however I can,” he said. “And it’s like one of the slogans we used to have for Hands on Newton: ‘You get more than you give when you help.’ And you do. That’s the way I feel. When I help someone, or some organization, it feels good … it helps you sleep at night.”

Jerry Carter J

By TOM SPIGOLON tspigolon@covnews.com

erry Carter says he chooses to volunteer so much of his time outside work because he believes someone else controls his schedule. His job is chief deputy of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office — making him second in command of the agency to Sheriff Ezell Brown. However, Carter also gives of his off time to a number of organizations seeking to improve the lives of Newton Countians, including Men of Valor at Emmanuel Community Church and the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Foundation board. “I serve as a deacon at the Emmanuel Community Church, and I am a firm believer that our time does not belong to us,” he said. “I believe we are here to serve others and that’s the main reason I donate a lot of the time I’m afforded to live.” Carter has served as chief deputy of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office for 12 years. The Covington native was born at what is now Piedmont Newton Hospital and he grew up in the Springhill community of Newton County. He is a product of the county school system and a 1982 graduate of Newton County Comprehensive High School. He later earned a master’s de-

gree in criminal justice from Troy University. Carter also has received thousands of hours of law enforcement training during his 36 years in his profession. He earned the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Award for completing FBI-LEEDA’s Supervisor Leadership Institute, Command Leadership Institute and Executive Leadership Institute. FBI-LEEDA is a nonprofit that seeks to improve the leadership skills of officials of law enforcement agencies, among other goals, according to information from the organization. Carter began his law enforcement career with the Covington Police Department in 1985 and advanced to the rank of lieutenant. He then moved to the Newton County District Attorney’s Office where he worked his way up to chief investigator. Then, in 2009, Carter was hired as chief deputy of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. He said he was placed in his current position “to serve the people.” “I have people come to my office with a variety of issues ranging from driver’s licenses to being stalked,” he said. “I take everyone very serious and will go to great lengths to ensure that they

receive the resources they need to overcome the issues they are having,” Carter said. “In saying that, I want the people in this community to have a feeling of trust after having personal dealings or a relationship with me.” The sheriff’s office works hard to organize community activities and events in addition to being the chief law enforcement agency for unincorporated Newton County where the majority of the county’s 112,000 residents live. Carter said he is involved in all of its community activities, such as school supply giveaways, and represents the sheriff’s office at Neighborhood Watch meetings, groundbreaking ceremonies, and more. He said it was important for the sheriff’s office to participate in such community activities, in addition to enforcing the law. Carter said he knows the sheriff’s office’s participation is making a difference in the community because of the volume of calls he receives seeking help and resources. “The community should look to its sheriff’s office for support and resources beyond making arrests and answering calls for service,” he said. Men of Newton 2021 | 9

The Rev. Harold Cobb By TOM SPIGOLON

nity to live in an ‘All American City,’ where I was able to see all he Rev. Harold Cobb says races working together as one he saw his hometown and a city that was clean, with differently after noticing no ghetto areas,” Cobb said. what a Midwest city was doing “I never saw Covington as I to improve the quality of life for saw it that day,” he said. “That’s all its residents. when I decided to come back That led to him working with and try to make a contribution others during the next six deto the whole city, because I cades to improve life for all in learned one thing (that) you Covington and Newton County, can’t get part of something as well. done without getting the whole He said he has always wanted thing.” to see what an entire commuHe met his wife of 58 years, nity — made up of all races — Reta, in Wichita. His father can do together. lived on Washington Street and “My father was a sharecrophe moved with Reta back to per with a third grade educaCovington to start a family. tion,” Cobb said. “Because of Cobb said he then opened his thinking that everybody is a nightclub in Covington but somebody, he brought his fam- found it was not his calling — ily up that way.” though it was a valuable learnHe said he and his siblings ing experience. The business believe in that philosophy, as itself was not “God’s vision well, Cobb said. for me” but he learned how to “We want to see this counwork with people “regardless try, called the United States of where they were in life,” of America, come together as Cobb said. one,” he said. “Also, I discovered that I had Cobb graduated from R.L. a strong sense of discernment Cousins High School in 1961 that enabled me to guide and at a time when Newton Counassist others in a Godly manty schools and many public ner,” Cobb said. accommodations were still It led to him serving on the segregated. He was serving in Newton County Recreation the Air Force and stationed in Commission and forming Little Wichita, Kansas, when he saw League and Pony League basewhat Covington could become, ball teams. he said. He then decided to seek a “Being stationed in Wichita, seat on the Covington City Kansas, gave me an opportuCouncil “mainly because Black

tspigolon@covnews.com

10 | Men of Newton 2021

children had nowhere to play and were not allowed to play at Baker Field.” Over the next decade Cobb unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Covington City Council five times — which showed him he could not win unless council members represented individual geographic districts rather than all members serving at-large. “The city of Covington was not ready for a Black (councilman) — this was in the ‘60s,” he said. The realization led Cobb and others to form the Newton County Voters League, which sued the city and county governing bodies to divide themselves into districts in the early 1970s. It was successful and Cobb decided to run for the new county commission District 4 seat rather than a sixth time for Covington City Council. He then was able to use the name recognition he gained from his runs for city council to defeat Oliver Capes in the 1976 election to become the first Black Newton County commissioner. Cobb served for 18 years until 1994 — working with the likes of Roy Varner, Davis Morgan, Franklin Gray, Nelson Allen and others. “The greatest joy I had for being on the Board of Commis-

sioners was to work with five men with the same mindset,” he said. “Moving this county forward in the projects that would not only allow this county to grow but to see the county and city pursue a working relationship that is still blessing all facets of Newton County.” He was part of a group of commissioners that established a new industrial park, as well as built Cornish Creek Reservoir and found land for a second reservoir. Cobb worked with Oxford College leaders and the Board of Commissioners to establish the Martin Luther King Scholarship Committee — which Cobb led for 32 years; and worked with the Newton County Minister’s Union to create the King Celebration Commit-

tee. He also worked with other area leaders to keep Washington Street Community Center open by adding tennis courts and a basketball court. Cobb worked with some area faith leaders to establish the Newton County Food Bank and have Habitat for Humanity build houses for deserving people in Covington, he said. “I was blessed to work with others to achieve and make this county stronger within many areas,” Cobb said. Meanwhile, he also worked for Ford Motor Co. before retiring as an environmental engineer. He then began a second career after being ordained in the United Methodist Church and completing or attending Beulah Heights University,

Candler School of Theology at Emory University, DeKalb Community College (now Piedmont Technical College), Mercer University, Draughon Business College and Atlanta Area Technical College, he said. He has served as pastor of Gaither Chapel UMC, associate pastor at Columbia Drive UMC, and pastor at Union Grove UMC, Henry M. White UMC, White Chapel UMC and Flat Rock UMC, which he led to build a new church building. Most recently, Cobb worked to help establish a Citizen’s Review Board to provide some oversight of the Covington Police Department and encourage transparency of police actions for all community members.

Asst. Chief Almond Turner Posthumously

Frank Turner, Sr.

Anderson Bailey Lt. Allen Martin

John King

Mayor Sam Ramsey Posthumously

We are honored to have worked with each of these men and grateful for their service to the City of Covington. Men of Newton 2021 | 11

Wendell Crowe By TOM SPIGOLON

tspigolon@covnews.com

endell Crowe said he has always wanted to help Newton County’s youth organizations because of the need to encourage young people to make their own contributions to the community in the future. “If you don’t get leadership for the kids in this county if they stay here then you’re not going to have good, young citizens staying in Newton County,” he said. Crowe’s business is Covington Ford and he said he has worked to contribute his time and money to the community to pay it back for the support his family’s business has received for eight decades. “I made my living for 80 years from Newton County so I feel like I owe it to Newton County to pay back,” he said. However, he said he is not working to help the community “for a pat on the back.” “It’s just something I do,” he said. Crowe said he has donated his time and money to organizations throughout Newton County — with the only 12 | Men of Newton 2021

non-local groups being the national Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts organizations. “I feel like it’s more important for the money to go right back into our county than it is to the nation,” he said. He also served on numerous boards of civic organizations and volunteered his time to coach youth sports and chair the Chamber board in 1973. Crowe is a longtime Elks Club member and has been a Kiwanis Club member for 25 years, he said. His company also contributes to the Newton County School System’s Teacher of the Year award, Special Olympics, the Covington Police Department’s Fuzz Run and the Cheerios Challenge race. Crowe has owned Covington Ford since 1974 after taking it over from his late father — whom he said was always “community-oriented.” “I probably got a lot of it from him,” he said. “I’ve always tried to help organizations in Newton County, especially with kids.” Crowe’s father, Wendell W. Crowe, opened the dealership on Clark

Street near the Covington Square just before the U.S. entered World War II in 1941. Twenty years later, in 1961, it moved it to a site on U.S. Hwy. 278 at Elm Street. Wendell Crowe joined the business the same year straight out of college, he said. The dealership moved to its current location on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in 2011. The Newton County Chamber of Commerce earlier this year honored Crowe with its R.O. Arnold Award. The award is given to someone annually within the business community “who has continued to give back to our community,” according to information from the Chamber. It also is considered one of the county’s most prestigious awards, with some past winners being the late Almond Turner, Beaver Manufacturing founders Ed and Nonie Needham, Ginn Motor Co. owner Billy Fortson, retired Superior Court Judge Sam Ozburn and Sunbelt Builders founder Samuel Burney Hay Jr. The award is named after Robert O. Arnold,

who chamber president Debbie Harper described as a local business leader “who gave unselfishly of his time and resources to Newton County” throughout his life. Harper said she and others felt Crowe embodied attributes similar to Arnold and made him a perfect fit for the award in 2020. Former state lawmaker Denny Dobbs said he believed Crowe embodies “the spirit of the original idea behind Mr. Bob Arnold’s award.” “You talk about community involvement and what business leaders mean to this community, this is it,” Dobbs said after Crowe received the award. “… And I know there’s a world of folks ... he’s helped that we won’t ever know about, because he don’t ever want the spotlight.” Crowe, 81, said he was most proud of the fact three generations of his family — Crowe, his son and a grandson — earned their Eagle Scout ranks from the Boy Scouts. Another source of pride: Crowe and wife Connie have been married for 62 years.

Tommy Davis By TAYLOR BECK

tbeck@covnews.com

ore than 30 years ago, Tommy Davis was on his way out of Lithonia and searching for a new place to call home. He and his wife, Mary Evelyn, traveled across the metro in search of the right place, but nothing felt right. After checking out

surrounding cities of Conyers, Monroe, Madison and Monticello, among others, the Davises kept finding themselves driving back through Newton County, back home to Lithonia without any luck. And then it finally hit them. “We would go out and look for homes, and we would travel Henry

County, Walton County, Rockdale County, and every time we were going back home, we were coming out of Newton County,” he said. “Everywhere we would go would bring brought us back to Newton County, no matter where … and I said, ‘Let’s just look here.’ “Newton County had about 65,000 people

then, a great community, and I knew people here already,” Davis said. “I thought a lot of the community, and it was just the right place for us to raise our family.” Davis had been in and around the Newton County community all his life prior to taking up residency. In 1984, he started working in

Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Covington members Doug Bolton, John King, Thomas Kephart, Tommy Davis and all other Men of Newton for their service and commitment to our community. Job well done!

Club of Covington Men of Newton 2021 | 13

the funeral business at the age of 15, and that’s when he found himself connected to the Harwell Family, former owners of J.C. Harwell & Son Funeral Home. Davis said he got into the funeral business as a help to a family-friend, who operated their own funeral home. “His name was Doug Henry,” Davis recalled. “And he said, ‘Hey, if I get busy, would you come help me?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, sure.’ “I remember the first time he ever called me to come help him. It was about 11 o’clock one night … and I enjoyed it. You know, people say, ‘Well, you’re crazy to enjoy something like that,’ but this is the last thing that you can do for anybody. And that’s what kind of hit me right out of the gate.” Early on, Davis said he didn’t always want to work in the funeral business. He actually wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and work in law enforcement, but health issues would hold him back. At 17 years old, just

after he graduated high school, Davis was diagnosed with cancer. Doctors ruled he had liposarcoma in his legs. He underwent multiple surgical treatments over a 4 to 5 year period to have the cancer removed. “By the time I had kind of gotten that all behind me, I was married, had a baby and already working in the funeral home, and so I just stayed in the funeral business,” Davis said. Today, Davis is in his 11th year as owner and operator of J.C. Harwell & Son Funeral Home in Covington. He helped manage the funeral home for several years prior to becoming owner, Davis said. The funeral home has been a staple of the community, first opening its doors in 1893. Davis also serves as Newton County’s coroner — a position he’s served in for more than 12 years now. Davis started working at the coroner’s office in 2003 as deputy coroner under Bob Wheeler after the death of his father. Davis served in

that capacity for five years, which helped groom him for the chief coroner position. Davis was first elected in 2008, serving three full terms. In the 2020 General Election, Davis lost his reelection bid to challenger Dorothea Bailey-Butts. Embattled, then-coroner Bailey-Butts chose to resign from office in May of 2021. Davis previously told The Covington News that it takes “empathy, compassion and true understanding” to uphold the position of coroner. Davis was then appointed by Probate Judge Melanie Bell to assume the role of coroner and serve the remainder of Bailey-Butts’ unexpired term. When the vacancy occurred, Davis said it wasn’t a difficult decision to take the job back, but it wasn’t an easy decision either. “I’m not saying there was no hesitation or that it was an easy move,” Davis said. “But it was something that — I wasn’t going to leave the people of Newton County without a cor-

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oner. I wasn’t going to leave the people of Newton County without somebody with some experience as coroner. So, it wasn’t an uplifting moment. Nobody ever wants anybody to have to resign. But when it happened, I didn’t want to leave the county without a coroner.” Outside of his work with the funeral home and the office of coroner, Davis enjoys volunteering and participating in civic work across the community. Davis has been a member and past president of Covington’s Rotary Club. He is a mason member of Golden Fleece Masonic Lodge No. 6, a member of the Elks Lodge and a member of the Lions Club. He is also a past board member of Project Renewal in Conyers. “I try to give back as much as I get,” Davis said. Davis and his family attend First Baptist Church of Covington. When he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his family, riding motorcycles, hunting and boating on the lake.

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Congratulations to the Men of Newton!

Camiel Grant Jr. By PHILLIP B. HUBBARD

phubbard@covnews.com

amiel Grant Jr. has been invested in Newton High School for 14 overall years. He is currently the head football coach for the Rams. Grant uses his position as a way to help better the lives of the kids on his team no matter their status. Grant considers that his main mission in life. “The kids who are ‘better’ athletes have a lot of people clamoring to give them advice,” Grant said. “To have the kid who’s the backup left guard or is just on the kickoff team come and talk with you about their family or plans after high school. That’s the most important part.” Grant has held many more positions outside of head football coach. During his 14 years at NHS, Grant has been a Business Education, Engineering and Weight Training teacher. In athletics, he’s been a position coach, special teams coordinator, offensive coordinator and

assistant head coach. In addition to being the head coach now, Grant is also the assistant athletic director. Grant’s efforts in his various roles earned him a teacher of the year award, too.

Through his time as a Ram, Grant has noticed one common trend that has helped NHS thrive: community support. “You’ve got kids whose grandparents went through the school system,” Grant said.

“Some of the teachers here have had their classmates’ kids come through and have taught them. I think that makes the Newton County School System successful.” Moving to Covington and working at NHS is a decision Grant doesn’t regret. The community support has been made evident from the very beginning to Grant. For someone who grew up in the small town of Union Point, Grant stressed just how settling his 14 years have been for him acclimating to the area. Admittedly, Grant stated that Covington is a lot bigger than his hometown, but he noticed some similarities between the two cities upon his arrival that makes Newton County a special place. “I first came to Covington not knowing much at all,” Grant said. “But when I arrived here, I felt some of the same types of family and community connections. That made it feel like home.”

Men of Newton 2021 | 15

Clayton Hammonds By PHILLIP B. HUBBARD

phubbard@covnews.com

layton Hammonds always envisioned himself pursuing a career in the educational field. However, it was an interesting journey to get where he is today. At first, Hammonds was interested in topics such as educational philosophy and educational law, but never actually

standing in a classroom teaching young kids. That all changed when he declared his major at Valdosta State University. “I knew education was something I always wanted to do,” Hammonds said. “But I thought it would be on the law side of it. Then, when I was in college, we had to go inside

Congratulations to Almond Turner (posthumously), Coach Camiel Grant, Clayton Hammonds, Anderson Bailey and all other outstanding Men of Newton

Almond Turner

Camiel Grant

Clayton Hammonds Anderson Bailey

Newton County School System 2109 Newton Drive NE Covington 770-787-1330 www.newtoncountyschools.org

16 | Men of Newton 2021

classrooms and observe what all teachers do. I fell in love with it from there.” When he finished at Valdosta State, Hammonds earned a bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education. Since then, he attended Walden University where he earned his master’s degree in Curriculum Instruction Assessment. Currently, Hammonds is pursuing an Educational Specialist and has plans to earn a doctorate in Urban School Leadership. Five years into his career, Hammonds stressed how he values his work and contributions to teaching the next generation of Newton County School System students. After spending a year teaching in Valdosta, Hammonds returned to his hometown in 2017. He accepted the job as a science teacher at Veterans Memorial Middle School. Hammonds said he can’t imagine teaching any other group of students. “Watching them grow from sixth to eighth grade, it’s amazing how much their character

develops and the impact you can have on them,” Hammonds said. “And you really don’t know how you impact them until they reach high school. You’ll get a random email one day saying, ‘Mr. Hammonds, thank you for inspiring me and keeping me on the straight and narrow.’ I’ll always choose middle school grades to teach, because they’re ready to receive the molding you give them.” Outside of the classroom, Hammonds is involved, too. Hammonds serves as the BETA Club sponsor, PBIS Ambassadors sponsor, PBIS Coach and serves on too many committees to remember them all. The passion Hammonds has teaching middle school students comes from seeing a lot of himself in his students. Because, just like most of the students he teaches, Hammonds is a product of the NCSS. For Hammonds, being from Newton County assists him in reaching the kids. He just hopes his students realize just how special their hometown is.

Horace J. Johnson Jr.

*posthumously

By TAYLOR BECK tbeck@covnews.com

ince his death Wednesday, July 1, 2020, former Alcovy Superior Court Judge Horace J. Johnson Jr. has been described as a man who was compassionate, intelligent and special. A trailblazer, Johnson grew up in the Sand Hill community and was

a graduate of Newton County High School, part of the first integrated class to go through the local schools. He graduated from Oxford College of Emory University, then earned a degree from the Goizueta Business School at Emory in Atlanta. Johnson was appointed to the Superior Court bench in 2002 by Gov.

Roy Barnes, making him the first Black Superior Court judge in the circuit covering Newton and Walton counties. He was elected without opposition to full terms four times since his appointment and planned to run for an open seat on the state Supreme Court this year, before an early retirement meant the seat

went to an appointment by the governor. Johnson then ran for reelection and won a fifth full term in June 2020, but was never sworn in. Johnson was beloved by his community and acclaimed by his peers. In 2011, Johnson received the Clarence Cooper Legacy Award from the Gate City Bar Association and was

Congratulations Judge Horace J. Johnson (posthumously) and Sam Ramsey (posthumously) and all other outstanding Men of Newton County!

covingtonkiwanisclub@gmail.com •www.covingtonkiwanis.org Kiwanis-Club-of-Covington-Georgia Men of Newton 2021 | 17

appointed to the Accountability Court Funding Committee by the state Supreme Court chief justice in 2012. He is a past president of the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia (2016-17) and had served on the Judicial Council of Georgia. He was a member of the Georgia Accountability Courts Funding; the Access, Fairness, Public Trust and Confidence; and the Judicial Council Domestic Violence committees. Locally, Johnson was a past president of the Kiwanis Club in Covington and had served on the board of directors of the Washington Street Community Center. He and his wife, Michelle, were 2002 graduates of Leadership Georgia, and Horace Johnson served as the 2009 president of the organization. Leadership Georgia presented him with the Frederick B. Kerr Service Award, for “enthusiastic and active support,” in 2018. He served on the Board of

Counselors at Oxford College since 1992 and was chosen to speak at commencement this year, although the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Johnson was a founding board member of Newton Mentoring Inc. and the Arts Association in Newton County board of directors and was on the first advisory board for the Boys & Girls Club in Newton County. He served for several years as a board member of the Covington Division of United Bank. He opened a parental accountability court in 2013 in Newton County and took the model to Walton County one year later. He also opened a treatment court for veterans in 2016. To honor the late judge, Newton County commissioners voted to rename the county’s judicial center, located at 1132 Usher St. in Covington, the “Judge Horace J. Johnson Jr. Judicial Center” in early February 2021. At Oxford

College, a scholarship fund was started in Johnson’s memory to provide need-based scholarships to prospective students, and in October 2021, the historic Language Hall was renamed in Johnson’s honor. Alumnus Keith Burns, who was Johnson’s fraternity brother, called the Johnson a “friend, … brother and a personal hero who epitomized servant leadership.” “He was also a mentor, role model and active participant in the success of hundreds of Emory and Oxford College students for more than three decades,” he added. “He was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things for this community,” said Covington Councilwoman Hawnethia Williams, who grew up with Johnson. Johnson, age 61 at the time of his death, is survived by his wife, Michelle; two sons, James and Bryant; and his mother, Lottie B. Johnson.

Thank You Covington Newton County Community. What impact did Judge Johnson have on your life?

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Thomas Kephart T

By TAYLOR BECK tbeck@covnews.com

homas Kephart has lived in Newton County since he was 14 months old — practically his entire life. Growing up on Sears Circle — a place in west Newton County that Kephart described as “normal middle class” Kephart recalled how “simple” life used to be. “We spent the bulk of time as kids playing outside,” he said. “I mean BB guns, football, baseball … riding bicycles. I mean that was just what we did all day. “I could ride my bicycle down any street in our area with a .22 rifle attached to my handlebars in case I saw a rabbit or a squirrel or something that needed a little attention,” he continued. “And we would go down to Doster’s store, which was about a 2- or 3-mile trek from my house and get a Coca-Cola and Chick-O-Stick.” “It was so small town” Kephart said. “Everything was so innocent back in the day. I could go to my neighbor and say ‘I’m out of bullets. Could you loan me some

bullets?’ And they’d say, ‘Sure. Here’s five .22 shells. Would you mind bringing me back a rabbit?’ Or something like that. It was so small town and so different than today. You couldn’t imagine allowing your child to patrol the neighborhood with a bicycle today, much less shooting rabbits and squirrels along the way, or borrowing shells from your neighbor. It’s just a different ball game.” He said church was at the center of his and his family’s social life, unlike the outlets of today. “We were not involved in clubs and different things like that,” Kephart said. “It was Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night and any other night that there happened to be an activity [at church]. So much of our socialization occurred in a church environment, and I think that’s a little bit different than what we see today.” Since graduating from Newton County High School in 1990, Kephart received a BBA from Georgia State University, MBA from Mercer University, and

completed the Graduate School of Banking at LSU. Kephart started his professional career with the First National Bank of Newton County, where he eventually served as CFO. The bank was sold to Synovus in 2003, and Kephart served as the community executive for Newton, Rockdale and Henry counties there until 2011 when he took on the role of president of United Bank in Covington. Kephart has remained active within many civic groups and organizations throughout his 27year banking career. He currently serves as the Chairman of the United Bank Advisory Board and is a board member for the Covington Fami-

ly YMCA and Covington Rotary Club (past president). He is a former board member of the Newton County Chamber of Commerce (past chair), Rockdale County Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Wildlife Federation, Friends of Newton County Miracle Field, Arts Association of Newton County and performed with the Covington/Conyers Community Family Orchestra. He is also a graduate of Leadership Newton County. Kephart has seen Newton County change in a variety of ways. For example, he said the area’s population has more than doubled over the last several decades, and much of the county’s vast amount

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of farmland has been developed into subdivisions. But in light of those changes, Kephart wants the place he calls home to always be the best community it can be. That’s why he places a great focus on being involved with local organizations and having a positive impact on the community. “Newton County has been extremely good to me,” Kephart said. “I have never lived — other than when I was 0-14 months old — outside of Newton County. I was here through all of my schooling. I’ve seen the county develop, and I just think you can’t take and not give. You’ve got to be willing to invest time, sweat, blood and

tears and do different things if you want to help the community get better.” Kephart has been married to his wife, Amy, for more than 27 years. Together, they have two sons, Garrett and Weston. Kephart and his family attend First Baptist Church of Conyers. Kephart said he was “humbled” and “honored” to be nominated and recognized as one of The Covington News’ Men of Newton. “I’m just an ‘Average Joe,’” Kephart said. “But I’m honored that someone would step out on a limb like that and throw my name in the hat.”

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John King By PHILLIP B. HUBBARD

phubbard@covnews.com

ohn King is a lifelong citizen of Covington where he was born and raised. He is currently the assistant city manager for the city of Covington where he proudly serves his home community. It was a long, winding road that began when King was home visiting from the Navy. He was close to finishing six years with the Navy when he and his family were eating at El Charro. Frank Turner Sr., the city manager at the time and one of King’s role models approached the table. King gave a joking declaration that day that has become more of a prophecy as the years have passed. “I always admired Mr. Turner,” King recalled. “He came and asked me, ‘What are you going to do when you get out?’ I responded, ‘I think I’ll come back and be city manager.’ I wasn’t really serious at the time but, as you get older you look at things differently.” King’s time with the city began back in 2011. He started working

part-time at the airport as well as the fire department. King was then promoted to Airport Manager in 2017. In 2020, King was named the Street Department manager in addition to managing the airport. Throughout all of his positions, King has abided by a famous quote he considers his professional philosophy. “A lot of people think the customer is No. 1, but it’s your people who are No. 1. If you take care of them, they’ll take care of the customer.” As a Covington native, King graduated from Newton County Com-

prehensive High School in 1991. He then went on to finish two years at Georgia College in Milledgeville and served in the Navy for six years. After his stint in the Navy, King went to Eastman in 2004 and received his commercial pilot’s license. He’s also earned a B.S. in Aeronautical Science and M.S. in Management In addition to his time working for the city, King has been involved in other ways. He’s been the chairman for Leadership Newton County as well as past president of the Rotary Club of Newton County. King currently resides

in Covington with his wife and best friend, Katy. King considers investing in the community the same as investing in himself and the residents who live here. And, being from here and still living here with his family, King appreciates what Covington still stands for today. “I think we’ve maintained that small town feel,” King said. “But we’ve added more retail, restaurants and entertainment. I think that’s great because it’s bringing people to Covington to see, not just the fun part, but our history as well.” Men of Newton 2021 | 21

Joshua Kirkham J

By TOM SPIGOLON tspigolon@covnews.com

osh Kirkham spends long hours on the road for his day job as part of the leadership team for the Boy Scouts of America’s Atlanta Area Council. But at night and on the weekends he takes on another important — and unpaid — role serving as bishop of the Covington Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kirkham works as the Safe Scouting and Operations director for the Marietta-based Atlanta Area Council, which includes Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouts and STEM Scouts. His job includes management of Scout properties in 13 Metro Atlanta counties. His work as a bishop in the Latter-day Saints church in Covington includes leading a ward — a local congregation — and is the equivalent of a pastor or priest, according to information from the church. Church member and friend Kori Romig nominated Kirkham to be featured in Men of Newton magazine. Romig wrote that 22 | Men of Newton 2021

Kirkham has a “love of community and families (that) gives him the needed foundation to serve as the congregation’s bishop” for the past four years. “For the past four years he has guided our ward family each week through countless hours of ministering to families, serving weekly on Sundays and also Wednesdays to help guide our youth, and then hours of meetings, answering calls, and emails from all who may need assistance, or a simple ‘you-keep-going’ pat on the back!” Romig wrote. “His leadership and service to our church is a lay ministry. He does all this with a heart of gold and smile ... without any financial reimbursement.” Kirkham admits there are some weeks he sees little of his family. However, he said his work as bishop has been “such a blessing.” He leads services, counsels with church members, and focuses on working with the youth of the church. “I did not ever see myself as a spiritual leader but, in my faith, we believe that God calls

us to these roles within our church,” he said. “I have certainly learned more than anyone I’ve served (that) I’m the person that needs the calling more than those I serve need me,” Kirkham said. He also visits with church families and tries “to bring a little bit of hope and maybe joy” to them, he said. Kirkham, 43, is the father of four and is married to Amanda Kirkham, a third-grade teacher at Newton County Theme School. The Illinois native is an Army veteran and earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University. He worked for 11 years for the Scouts’ Three Fires Council before moving his family from Wisconsin to Covington in 2014 to direct operations of Bert Adams Scout Camp in south Newton County. The 1,300-acre camp has operated in Newton County for more than 60 years. Kirkham said he worked with a number of volunteers and enjoyed seeing projects advance from the planning stage to completion.

“When you work at the camp level, you spend a lot of time seeing directly the impact that you’re having on kids and on families,” he said. In early 2017, Kirkham was promoted to his current job which includes management of Scout properties and resolving any conflicts that arise within troops in the 13-county area. He said the “safe scouting” part of his job title means “that I get to help people when they’re having a difficult time” — such as when troops are facing discipline issues and “any types of misbehavior.” Kirkham also gets to use the experience he gained in the military and as a firefighter for a decade in Wisconsin to deal with any crises. “God’s really blessed me with a strong ability to lead through crisis,” he said. “I know that sounds kind of braggadocio but it’s definitely nothing I can attribute to myself. He kind of formed me with the experiences that he’s placed in my path that have helped me become that person.”

Dr. Norris Little By TOM SPIGOLON

tspigolon@covnews.com

iedmont Newton Hospital’s medical director said he did the occasional talk to a civic group before March 2020. Then the pandemic hit and hospital officials have felt the need to “reach out to the public” as much as possible

with information about COVID-19 and the ways it is transmitted, said Dr. Norris Little. “The pandemic has offered an opportunity to reach out to the public in a way that we, as a hospital, really have not historically done,” Little said. “I think that’s been a great thing, actually. It’s

really improved our ties with the community, both in terms of the business community and the community at large, our government — all those areas I think we have much closer ties than we did prior to the pandemic,” Little said. Little practiced medicine for more than 30

years in Covington. His patients knew him as an Internal Medicine specialist before he began his current job as the hospital’s medical director. But he was not a fixture at civic club and governmental meetings until the pandemic hit. He said hospital officials saw the need in the

Quality health care is more important than ever. That’s why I chose Piedmont Newton. piedmont.org Men of Newton 2021 | 23

community for useful and accurate information about COVID-19 and what the hospital was doing to respond to the pandemic, he said. “There were people who were afraid to come to the hospital so we saw the need to do education around COVID and to continue to do so around the pandemic because things were always changing,” he said “There was new information. The situation at the hospital would change. So, we together here just made a concerted effort to reach out to the community through opportunities that we could find.” Little earned his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennes24 | Men of Newton 2021

see, and his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1981. He began working as a physician in Covington in the Newton Medical Associates clinic in 1984 at a time when few primary care physicians operated in Covington, he said. “I have a long-term involvement in our community and actively kind of worked to make Newton County a good place to be,” he said. After decades as a private care physician including serving as chief of staff, and helping raise his family in Newton County, Little began work as the hospital’s chief medical officer in 2016 — a year after Piedmont Health Systems acquired the former

Newton Medical Center. He and other hospital officials now make a “concerted effort to find opportunities” to spread the word about the coronavirus, including inviting community leaders to the hospital to see the virus’ effect firsthand. For example, a pastor who understands the impact and need for safety measures can inform a congregation, he said. Little said he believes the medical professionals at Piedmont Newton have been “heroes” during the pandemic because of the effort and professionalism they have shown during the virus’s surges. “In my mind they are,” he said.

Allen Martin A

By TAYLOR BECK tbeck@covnews.com

s the adage goes, “timing is everything.” Covington Police Lt. Allen Martin knows this to be a truth, as different timing throughout his life could’ve landed hime in a much different position today. Martin joined the Covington Police Department on Sept. 10, 1996 — a date he specially recalled during an interview with The Covington News. Before becoming a police officer, the lifelong Covington resident had briefly attended North Georgia College and had a dream to become a conversation ranger, or a game warden. Martin’s uncle, who was a lieutenant colonel with the state Department of Natural Resources Division at the time, said he could help get Martin’s foot in the door to apply and participate in testing. “The year I tested, there were like over 1,000 or more candidates to put in for only seven positions,” Martin said. “I didn’t get in.” Martin did, however, finish as a top-30 finalist. “I went to my uncle and was like, ‘What happened? I thought you had the hook?’ And my uncle said, ‘Here’s the thing,’” Martin said. “‘A lot of the folks we hired already have law enforcement experience.’ He said they had several state troopers transfer in and deputies hired on. So he told me to go out and get some expe-

rience.” Shortly after, in 1995, he ran into then-Covington Police Capt. Craig Treadwell in town, and he told Martin to apply to work at Covington. But as 1996 approached, so, too, did the much-anticipated Olympic Games to be held in Atlanta. Martin said the games caused hiring opportunities to stall until after the event was over. And that’s when Martin landed his shot. “[Covington Mayor] Steve Horton was police chief at the time,” Martin said. The day Martin was called in to be offered a job was an unforgettable one for Martin. “I was working with my dad — he was a general contractor,” he said. “This was the early cell phone era. We had a land line outside — we were so early on in the job at the time that we didn’t even have a job trailer yet. So we had a land line phone hooked directly to the phone line on the pole, just sitting on the ground. Well, my dad hears the phone ring, goes to answer. He comes over to me and says it’s [current chief] Stacey Cotton. Well, Stacey says Chief Horton wants me to come in. He thinks he’s going to offer me the job. So I’m like, ‘Cool.’ I tell my dad what’s going on, say, ‘I’ve got to go to the police department.’ “Later, that same night, I saw my daddy, and he said, ‘Literally 15 minutes after you had left the job site, the city of Conyers called

and wanted to offer you a job,’” Martin continued. “So had Stacey Cotton not called when he did, I would have been going to Conyers, and I might be working at Conyers right now. But that’s just God’s will, and he just puts you where he wants you to be.” Since joining the Covington Police Department, Martin said he’s never looked back. Today he holds the rank of lieutenant, serving as a watch commander for one of the department’s night shifts, which includes a sergeant and about seven officers. Martin said he often has to find the balance between working in an administrative role while also being a firstline supervisor and continuing to answer calls. “I still have that sergeant and officer in me, so I enjoy getting out to answer calls,” he said. “And I think it builds a good sense of team whenever you’re out there and the guys can see that the lieutenant isn’t too big to answer calls.” Martin also serves as a Taser training instructor and physical training instructor. What Martin loves most about working for the Covington Police Department is the focus on community outreach. Since 2019, Martin has served as race director of the annual Covington Fuzz Run, which is an annual fundraising event to help support the Police Who Care Fund. “That’s my baby, and I love it,” Martin said.

Men of Newton 2021 | 25

Tyrone Oliver By PHILLIP B. HUBBARD

phubbard@covnews.com

rowing up in Newton County, Tyrone Oliver aspired to do one of three things: be a mortician, serve in the military or be in law enforcement. Turns out, though, he’s done all three things throughout his life. Nevertheless, Oliver’s main mission in life has never wavered. “I’ve dedicated myself to helping people,” Oliver said. “It’s also about making sure the communities are safe and people are thriving.” First, Oliver was a mortician for George Levett and Sons Funeral Home in Conyers, then he served in the Navy as a hospital corpsman. Oliver’s law enforcement career began in 1999 with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office as a detention officer. Since then, he’s quickly moved up the ladder. In 2013, Oliver was one of the first employees of the Brookhaven Police Department. Three years later in January 2016, Oliver was named Social Circle’s chief of police where he was appointed Social Circle’s deputy city manager two years later.

26 | Men of Newton 2021

Currently, Oliver is the commissioner of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Gov. Brian Kemp appointed him in July 2019. As commissioner, Oliver takes on a lot of responsibilities on a day-to-day basis. The Department of Juvenile Justice consists of over 3,000 employees, 10,000 youth, 25 secured detention centers, 86 Community Offices and Georgia’s 181st school district called Georgia Preparatory Academy. Earlier this year, Oliver was awarded the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators President’s Award. The award is a national award recognizes a member who has made a significant contribution through participation in the organization’s activities, according to the DJJ. Receiving this honor was tabbed the most special by Oliver, but earning accolades isn’t what motivates him to succeed in his position. The core principle for Oliver remains intact with serving people. “Seeing the success stories,” Oliver said. “Even though there is justice involved, [the youth] is still our future. Not

only do we hold these kids accountable for what they’ve done, but we also provide them with opportunities to succeed when they reenter society.” Impressively enough, Oliver has accomplished all of this in Newton County all while he considers himself a “transplant.” Oliver and his family moved here from New York in 1993. He graduated from Newton High School in 1997. From there, Oliver graduated from Columbus State University’s Law Enforcement Program, the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Program as well as the FBI Leadership Trilogy. He also attended the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange to Israel. Even though life has taken him elsewhere, Oliver still considers Newton County home. “I’m always been drawn back to this community,” Oliver said. “This is home to me and I love the people and everything about it. I love seeing it grow, too, so Newton County is home.”

Sam Ramsey S

By TOM SPIGOLON tspigolon@covnews.com

am Ramsey’s widow said her husband gave his time freely to public service simply because “he wanted to make the world a better place.” “It was important for him to use his time to help the most people,” said Becky Ramsey. Sam Ramsey was a downtown Covington businessman and former mayor who helped lead the operations of the Salem

Campground, the Boy Scouts’ Atlanta council, the county’s only homeless shelter and many other nonprofit organizations before his death last year. The longtime president and CEO of Ramsey Furniture Co. on the Covington Square died at age 81 in August 2020. Ramsey was a 1957 graduate of Newton County High School. He attended Oxford College of Emory University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business

*posthumously

administration from Emory University Business School in 1961. He went on to serve in the Air Force during the Cold War era but returned home in 1964 to lead the family business his grandfather had founded in 1919. Ramsey began his public service in 1970 with an appointment to the Covington Planning and Zoning Commission. The following year, he began a two-year term as president of the Kiwanis Club. He was elect-

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Congratulations 2021 Men of Newton Men of Newton 2021 | 27

ed in 1975 to lead the Newton County Chamber of Commerce and received its highest award for community service, the R.O. Arnold Award. He also served as a leader and advisor for the Boy Scouts of America’s Troop 222 in Covington — which led to serving on the Atlanta Area Council and Advisory Board for the 14-county Metro Atlanta area. Ramsey decided to enter the political sphere in 1988 and won election to Covington City Council. In 1996, he was elected mayor to complete a one-year unexpired term of his predecessor. He then won election to three full terms before leaving office in 2008. Among other initiatives he undertook as mayor, Ramsey worked with local pastors and churches to create Faithworks, a nonprofit assisting families with rent and utility expenses. He also was the tie-breaking vote for relocation of the Garden of Gethsemane Homeless Shelter from Porterdale to Covington, and served on its board for 11 years. Ramsey’s support was controversial but the need for a shelter was very apparent amid the county’s rapid growth in the 1990s and early 2000s, Mrs. Ramsey said. “People were living in their cars, in the woods behind McDonald’s,” she said. Mrs. Ramsey said her husband also was a member of the grand jury that told judges about the need for a new county jail — which ultimately led to construction of one in the early 2000s. “People found he was constantly thinking ahead for the community,” Mrs. Ramsey said. She said Ramsey also was an advocate for keeping the county’s government and judicial facilities near the Square at a time when others wanted to move some of them — and the accompanying 28 | Men of Newton 2021

traffic — to other parts of Covington. The move to build a new courthouse and county administration building in the downtown area helped keep the county’s “center” in downtown Covington — which allowed the historic area to remain a vibrant retail and governmental area, Mrs. Ramsey said. Sam Ramsey also was an active member of the Covington First United Methodist Church and served as chairman of its Administrative Board and Council on Ministries. He also attended the annual Salem Campground meetings all his life — and joked he even was there before he was born when his mother attended while pregnant with him, he told the The Covington News in 2017. Mrs. Ramsey, an Atlanta native, made the trek to the camp meeting in the late 1960s and met her future husband of 50 years there.

Ramsey’s involvement followed his ancestors’ role as being among the founders of the Salem Campmeeting which began in 1828. He served as trustee and chairman of the Program Committee and the Board of Directors for 57 years. Ramsey’s final year with the campmeeting, 2020, was a disappointing one for him after the board opted not to present it as an in-person event for the first time in response to health concerns surrounding the pandemic. He told The Covington News in 2014 about what the oldest continuously operating campmeeting in the U.S. meant to him. “’Most of the time I feel like it’s so close (to) heaven on earth as possible. It’s quite an experience. You have to be there and experience it for yourself,” Ramsey said.

Roderick Stubbs By PHILLIP B. HUBBARD

phubbard@covnews.com

or the past 16 years, Roderick Stubbs has led the Emory at Oxford men’s basketball program. As the fourth coach in school history, Stubbs has achieved lots of success. Even so, the championships and accolades pale in comparison to what Stubbs cherishes most as a head coach. Seeing his players succeed athletically as well as academically means the most to Stubbs. “They compete against tough competition,” Stubbs said. “They start to develop a mindset that it’s not just about these four years, it’s about the next 40 years. It’s not just about this moment, but also their career past college.” With Stubbs at the helm, the Eagles have had some of their best years as a basketball program. Oxford has been named the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCCA) regular season champions four

of the past seven years. Particularly in 2016, the Eagles were deemed the GCAA tournament champions. The Eagles have made history under Stubbs’ leadership. By posting a 23-8 record in 2012-13 which gave them the most wins in a single season in school history. Stubbs stresses commitment, trust and care to his players each year. Without the player’s dedication, none of the success would be possible, according to Stubbs. “We trust each other,” Stubbs said. “We’re committed to each other and we care about what we’re doing. That combination has contributed to the success I’ve had here.” Stubbs’ individual contributions haven’t gone unnoticed by the GCAA. In 2014 and 2016, he received the GCAA Region 17 Coach of the Year award. Also in 2016, Stubbs earned the Emory University Award of Distinction.

As a Jackson, Tennessee, native, Stubbs feels right at home working in Oxford. He stressed how the community and people in Newton County have contributed to his successful stint as head basketball coach. And, though a lot has changed in the 16 years

he’s been here, Stubbs stressed how he is satisfied at Emory at Oxford. “I love the environment and what the college stood for,” Stubbs said. “I’m content with what I’m doing and enjoy every day. This is a great fit for me.”

Men of Newton 2021 | 29

Almond J. Turner “

By TAYLOR BECK tbeck@covnews.com

Mr. Almond Turner is legendary and one thing I can say is legends never die. His legend will forever live on in this community.” These were the words spoken by Newton County Board of Education member Shakila Henderson-Baker nearly two years ago after the tragic death of beloved Covington native Almond Turner. Turner, age 69, was shot and killed Nov. 23, 2019, during a family gathering in Meridian, Mississippi. Turner was a retired assistant police chief in Covington. At the time of his retirement in 2016, he was the city’s longest tenured em-

ployee with 45 years of service. He had been assistant chief since 1997. At the time of his death, Turner was serving his sixth term as an elected member of the Newton County Schools Board of Education. Turner was a graduate of R.L. Cousins High School. After high school, he attended Fort Valley State University to study music but later earned an associate degree in criminal justice at DeKalb Technical College (now Georgia Piedmont Technical College) and a Bachelor of Science from Troy University. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy in Virginia in 1982, and the Command College at Columbus State Univer-

The AJT Foundation congratulates Almond Turner Husband, Father, Grandfather, Friend, Man of God and all other 2021 Men of Newton 30 | Men of Newton 2021

sity in 2002. He was a deacon at Springfield Baptist Church in Conyers, where he served on the Ministry Protection Team. As a lover of music and patron of the arts, Turner was a noted supporter of the Newton County Community Band. During a candlelight vigil for Turner, Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown spoke of his lifelong friendship with Turner, which began when the two started their law enforcement careers as beat cops with the Covington Police Department in 1972. “Almond fought for everything that he achieved, it wasn’t given to him,” he said. “The life we chose required courage, not cowardice. We served the community at work and at home, and at church and in the neighborhood.” Also a family man, Turner is survived by his wife, Anita; children, Dwahn, Shaye and Shundra; and several

*posthumously

grandchildren. Shortly after Turner’s death, Dwahn spoke about is father’s involvement in the community and the love he shared. “He was a great father. He taught me very well, and I am still striving to get to where he was,” he said. “That’s how great my father was. He was always involved in our lives. Not only that — in the community, everywhere he went, I went.” To carry on Turner’s legacy and honor the life he lived, the Almond J. Turner Foundation was established to support local high school students by raising funds for scholarship opportunities. Foundation scholarships are designed to benefit deserving students pursuing college studies in law enforcement, music or education. The foundation also works with Police Who Care, which helps organize the annual Covington Police Department Fuzz Run of which Turner was a major supporter.

Frank B. Turner SR. F

By TOM SPIGOLON tspigolon@covnews.com

rank B. Turner Sr. says he believes anyone who “likes the community in which you live” should contribute to it in some way. For Turner, that has included being involved with civic groups and his church, Covington First United Methodist. His involvement with the church has included teaching Sunday school for 47 years. “It’s been educational for me. I’ve enjoyed it.” he said. “I guess when you teach something you learn a lot.” Turner led the day-today operations of the Covington government as city manager for most of four decades before retiring in 2006. His 36-year tenure included overseeing rapid expansion of the city’s electric, gas and water systems; accreditation of both the city police and fire departments; and establishment of the joint Covington-Newton County E911 Communications Center. Turner also was a longtime civic leader

and former president of the Covington Kiwanis Club. Mayor Steve Horton worked in a number of roles, including police chief and assistant city manager, during Turner’s time leading the staff before succeeding Turner in the position. He nominated Turner to be featured in Men of Newton, and wrote that Turner, “cared a great deal for his fellow man, and I have witnessed many personal acts of kindness and generosity administered by Frank to individuals in need.” “He was and, I suspect, still is, however, a role model and life teacher every day to all who were and are watching,” Horton wrote. Turner is a Covington native and Vietnam-era Navy veteran who already had a master’s degree in business administration when he returned to Covington after leaving the military in early 1970. He recalled that he had planned to begin classes at Georgia State University to earn a doctorate degree in finance but got what he thought

would be a temporary position. “Some of the council members called me and said they were looking for a city manager and on March 1, 1970, I took that job,” Turner said. “They said I could take it while they looked for somebody. They finally found somebody 36 years later,” he said with a laugh.

In his role as city manager, he worked with three mayors, including Bill Dobbs for 25 years, and Allene Burton and Sam Ramsey. Turner was a founding member of the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia in the late 1980s after the Georgia General Assembly approved its creation to provide an economical way for

Congratulations to Frank Turner Sr. and all of the recipients of the Men of Newton recognition Greer, Stansfield & Turner, LLP 1118 Conyers Street Covington, Georgia 30015 770.786.4390 Men of Newton 2021 | 31

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cities to offer natural gas service. Other projects he helped bring about included creation of the joint city-county 911 Communications Center, moving the city’s recreation program under a board’s management, and the Newton County Water and Sewer Authority’s land application system which uses treated wastewater as fertilizer. Horton said Turner “definitely practices the ‘Golden Rule,’ and all who know Frank will agree that other than his serious side, he is also filled with an abundance of wit and humor.” He said Turner once told a group of “high-level executives” that he had wanted to be “a lover, a fighter and a ballroom dancer, but when that didn’t work, he became Covington’s city manager.” “At the time I was somewhat startled that Frank had made the statement, but after having worked with him for a great many years, it is my observation

that being city manager required Frank to wear those three hats and many more, as well,” Horton said. “His talents for working with people and making them all feel encouraged and appreciated are unsurpassed by anyone I have ever known before or since,” he said. “He carried Covington city government from the basic and mundane to modern and masterful. He was a great mentor to me and many others,” Horton said. Turner said he generally enjoyed the job because it “had so many facets” — from power outages to personnel issues. He said he tried to keep things light-hearted when he could do so as he worked to direct the city staff through such events as power outages. “You’ve got to be ‘chipper’ with anything if you can,” he said. “And I had tremendous help through the years. Some really good folks.”

Kale WAddleton K

By PHILLIP B. HUBBARD phubbard@covnews.com

ale Waddleton grew up having a passion for classic cars. Both his granddaddy and dad were big into cars and doing car shows. But, as the third generation classic car lover, Waddleton decided to use his passion to help others in the local community. He organizes car shows specifically to help raise funds for families trying to care for medically fragile children. Waddleton’s vision began forming approximately two and a half years ago. “I walked into Bench Warmers and saw this family having a bike ride to help raise money,” Waddleton recalled. “So, I went back to the family and said, ‘I want to do something.’ Two weeks later, we did a car show and raised $21,000. After that, I was like, ‘hey, we’re on to something.’” Waddleton was correct — he was on to something. From that moment, Waddleton and his wife, Marissa organized a nonprofit called Kaleb’s Cause. This was to help carry out his vision in assisting local people as best as he could. The reason this cause was so dear to Waddleton was because he experienced the support from the Newton County community firsthand a few years back. Waddleton’s then-six-monthold son, Kaleb, was in need of a heart transplant after being born with a medical condition known

as Left Ventricular Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy. Once the news became public, community members created a Facebook page, a GoFundMe and even hosted a benefit to raise money for Waddleton’s family. In total, $40,000 was raised not including any food, gift baskets and other non-monetary donations were made to the cause. Thanks to the support of the Newton County community, Kaleb underwent his heart transplant and made a full recovery. The help didn’t go unnoticed by Waddleton. “This town rallied together for us,” Waddleton said. Since “Kaleb’s Cause” inception, Waddleton has done numerous other car show benefits. To date, the organization has raised a total that eclipses $200,000.

Recently, Waddleton organized a benefit called “Back the Blue” for Covington’s Police Chief Stacey Cotton after he suffered a stroke. All proceeds went to the Police Who Care Fund. So, Waddleton is all in on doing what he can to help people in the local community, because of the generous support they offered when his family needed it. It’s the quality of people in Covington that makes this place special for Waddleton. “I love the people here,” Waddleton said. “It’s a beautiful place full of good people. You walk in somewhere and everyone knows everybody. I love to go sit at Amici’s and 10 people walk by your table you haven’t seen in a while. We’re all friends and everyone supports anything you want to do.” Men of Newton 2021 | 33

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS AJ’s Bonding - 19 Alcovy CASA - 32 Almond J. Turner Foundation - 30 Ashley McIntosh Photography/ J.C. Harwell Funeral Home - 2 Bradley’s Bar B Que - 14 City of Covington - 11 Covington Police Department - 35 Georgia Dermatology of Conyers - 5 Greer, Stansfield & Turner LLP - 31 Linda Hays - 6 Kiwanis Club of Covington - 17

Mayfield Ace Hardware - 36 Michelle Johnson - 18 Newton Board of Commissioners - 8 Newton County Schools - 16 Newton County Sheriff’s Office - 3 Oxford College - 29 Piedmont Newton Hospital - 23 Ramsey’s Furniture - 27 Rotary Club of Covington - 13 Travel 4 U Arrangements - 14 United Bank of Covington - 20

SHOP LOCAL. SPEND LOCAL. ENJOY LOCAL. Support Local Businesses where you live, work and play! 34 | Men of Newton 2021

Congratulations Lt. Allen Martin and the other 2021 Men of Newton

From the Officers and Staff of the Covington Police Department

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