Thanking those who have made life better in Corbin

Don Estep is the Publisher Emeritus of the News Journal.

The most important item is first in this week’s column. I want to wish my wife Judy a great day on our 52nd wedding anniversary! It was on this day, June 1, 1964 when we said our vows. After three wonderful children and four out-of–this-world grandchildren we are still happily married.

I was 24 years old (one of my crazy sisters said I was too young to get married) and Judy was my child bride. My friend Bill Crook said he didn’t know if I was going to marry her or adopt her. Judy had just graduated from high school and I had finished college.

I am very lucky.

Judy is as beautiful now as she was back when I married her. She is an excellent cook, she keeps a spotless house, carries out the garbage, lets me control the TV remote and play with the grandchildren. What more could I want?

On the other hand I try to show my appreciation to her for putting up with a bum like me all these years.

It could not have been better!

And speaking of grandchildren, our oldest granddaughter, Adelyn, at age six got her first taste of a soft drink yesterday. She said, “It’s bubbly!” She liked it but there won’t be any of it at her house for the kids until they grow older. It is strictly milk, fruit juices and water for them now. That is, unless they sneak off to the grandparents and can keep secrets.

It was a rare opportunity for me to enjoy a soft drink when I was a child. Some of the neighborhood boys were permitted to charge a few cents on the “bill” at Freeman’s Grocery and we would make the most out of it. Jerry Green, Freddy Rader and I would pool our money to buy the largest soft drink on the market at that time, I believe it was a 16 ounce Double Cola and a pack of peanuts. We put the peanuts in the cola and passed it around. What a treat!

Corbin has been fortunate to be blessed by the cola industry, especially the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company. The Days and the Hoovers have enriched our lives in many ways by providing jobs and contributing to many elements of our society.

I remember being in awe and respecting Mrs. Day when she ran the company and now that same respect goes out to her grandson Bill Hoover for the many years I have known him. It is people like them that have kept Corbin and America Great.

This area is a much better place to live because of people like them. Every time you attend sports events in the area you see evidence of Pepsi’s involvement with the youth of our area. What you won’t see is Bill Hoover standing out in the spotlight waiting for accolades.

No, not at all. He is a very quiet person that stands in the background seeing that things are done right. He is there blending in with the crowd with a smile on his face and a pleasant greeting for all he meets.

Bill Hoover is an outstanding citizen of Corbin who often doesn’t get the credit he deserves for the many things he does for our community. I am fortunate to call him “friend.” May our future have more Bill Hoovers come our way!