Remembering Charlie Feagan

One of the first people I met when I retired and moved into Holly Hill was Charlie Feagan. He stopped by to welcome me back to Polk County, and urged me to get registered to vote. The next time he stopped by, I thanked him for providing those nice building lots and setting up the protective covenants in his development. I also assured him that we had registered to vote.

When I completed the plans for our house, I asked about approvals needed. I was told by my neighbors that the homeowners association was not active, but to see Charlie to be on the safe side. I was happy to have his approval and signature on the plans before I applied for my permits.

We built on Catherine Drive, named for Charlie's wife. The cross streets are named for their boys, Gary, Patrick and Phillip. Charlie continued to patrol the streets, later with Catherine, so we had many opportunities to visit.

When we got my brother Bill back here from California, he and Mary bought a house in The Woods, another of Charlie's developments. I liked the setting, and bought another lot there. Charlie had offered us about five acres on which we could each build a house, not subject to the covenants of The Woods, but Bill just wanted to move in and enjoy! Oddly enough, we now live in a house in The Woods that we liked the first time we saw it when Bill and Mary were moving into theirs.

When I became President of the Historical Association, I found that Catherine had served them for several years as President. She left the board for health reasons, and I did not see her and Charlie as much until they began to dine regularly at Calvert's Kitchen. Charlie's devotion to Catherine was touching, as they sat there side-by-side like newlyweds, offering big smiles of greeting to their friends as they came in and stopped by their table.

When I messed up my left hand in a table saw, Charlie showed me that he had mutilated his own hand when a child. He assured me that, like him, I would learn to use what I had left. He continued to show his concern, always checking to see how my hand was healing.

We have missed seeing them since Charlie was hospitalized, but that did not prepare any of us for having to say farewell so soon. But I am sure that Charlie and Catherine's boys and their progeny will continue the family traditions of community service and leadership. Their grandkids are already distinguishing themselves: they include an Eagle Scout and a Morehead scholar, to mention just two.

I was driving behind Charlie, heading home one day on Peniel Road, when he suddenly pulled off the road, got out of his pickup, and picked up some trash on the road side. Another day I saw that he had one of his grandchildren, working from the bed of his pickup, scrubbing down the doughboy statue near the Courthouse. "As the twig is bent, . . ."

Thanks again, Charlie. Ya done good.