Who will take their place?

Weekly Opinion Editorial

TRIBUTE TO THREE GOP VOLUNTEERS!

by Steve Fair

     In November 2006, Republicans statewide picked up three seats in the Oklahoma legislature.  Two of those seats were in Stephens County.  Dennis Johnson was elected to the State House in an open seat and Anthony Sykes was elected to the Senate, beating an incumbent.  2006 wasn’t a good year to be a Republican.  Brad Henry defeated Ernest Istook in the Governor’s race.  Democrats won all the other statewide races with the exception of Corporation Commission.  To say that Stephens County rowed against the tide in 2006 would be an understatement.  With a very visible downtown headquarters and an army of grassroots volunteers, the Stephens County GOP did something that just twenty years before would have seemed impossible- winning races.  In the last couple of weeks, we lost three of those volunteers: 

     First Emmet Hamilton passed away in Nashville December 10^th, where he had lived for the last couple of years.  Emmet, 87, was Dennis Johnson’s father-in-law, but was a tireless volunteer who worked not just on Dennis’ campaign, but others as well.  I remember Hamilton building a three corner frame for Anthony Sykes to mount on his jeep for his 2x4 signs and frames for Sykes’ mini billboards.  Emmet and his wife Marie helped stuff envelopes, knocked doors and seldom missed a monthly GOP meeting until their health declined.

     Second, Gil Jackson died on Christmas Eve.  Jackson, 87, had moved to Kansas City four years ago to be closer to family.  Gil served four years as Stephens County Republican Party Chairman from 2000-2004.  He was a recipient of the Dr. Gerald Beasley Jr. memorial award, which is awarded annually to the most outstanding grassroots volunteer in the SCGOP.  Jackson was a fireball, who was involved in virtually every local campaign for twenty years.  Gil knew how to lose, because for years Republicans lost races, but he never wavered in his enthusiasm or labor.  Just a year ago, Jackson re-engaged with local Republicans in Missouri and was schooling them on the SCGOP best practices. 

     Third, Kenneth Shaw died December 27^that the age of 89.  Kenneth’s wife Josephine and his granddaughter Carissa Darling (now Cassin) were regulars at monthly GOP meetings.  Kenneth came to meetings occasionally, but in 2006, he really got engaged.  Having a construction background, Kenneth helped build sign frames for mini-billboards and built partitions at the headquarters.  Shaw was a quiet man, but there was just something about him that made you know there was a depth of character.   

    These three men shared more than just being engaged in a successful campaign cycle.  They were all part of the ‘Greatest Generation.’  All three served in the military.  All three were Christians.  All three knew liberty wasn’t something that didn’t just happen. 

     Emmet, Gil and Kenneth and lots of others were key to the SCGOP’s success in 2006.  Volunteers like those can’t be replaced, but each generation must be concerned about the next.  Where are the Baby Boomers, the Gen Xers and the Millennials? Isn’t it time you became involved in your government?  The Stephens County Republican Party meets at 7pm the second Thursday(1/11) of each month at the Red River Tech Center.   Start 2018 off right and get engaged. Email leon@wpmonline.com for information.