Everyone needs role models, and I am blessed in that regard.
As a father, a minister, and a man, I need only look to my dad for inspiration. My mother’s endless supply of compassion has nurtured me and many others, and inspires me every day. My wife models the patience and kindness I aspire to. I have good friends who are successful in many different areas of life.
Two men served as examples from the moment I first considered running for County Executive: T.R. Williams and Marty Dunkin. As the only ones to win two consecutive terms in this office, I knew they had wisdom to share.
Marty and I met when one of his grandsons was on a basketball team I coached. I became friends with his late wife Teresa when we served together on the Kid’s Place board. She was passionate about the service Kid’s Place provides and about serving Lawrence County as Register of Deeds. Marty passed away November 19, the day she was inducted into the County Officials Association of Tennessee’s Register of Deeds Hall of Fame.
I was deeply honored to officiate Teresa’s funeral in 2019, and Marty’s funeral last Friday. For both of them, it was a matter of condensing all the good things I had to say into a reasonable amount of time.
Teresa and Marty cherished their sons Luke and Blake and their seven grandchildren. Both of them led busy lives, but it was obvious where their priorities lay.
The grandkids called Marty “Big.” He was big in stature and personality, two things that served him well in what was likely a labor-intensive first job at his family’s business, Dunkin’s Market. His big personality helped him become Lawrence County’s youngest County Executive ever, then enjoy a long, successful career with Waste Solutions, working with people across the Southeast.
Marty supported me in my campaign and was always there to offer advice. I admit one of his first questions was the half-joking “Why in the world do you want to run for office?” but I knew his love for Lawrence County was bigger than the challenges of this position. He knew I felt the same way, and his encouragement meant the world to me.
Marty and Teresa Dunkin served this county well and left it a better place. Many of us were fortunate enough to call them friends, and we are much better for it.
