Charlie Walker reception brings fond memories

Word has it that there will be a well-deserved reception for one Charlie Walker on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at Five Points Implement on West Main Street (U.S. 50) in Hillsboro.

Apparently, Charlie is going to try retirement. Again.

The reception is open to the public and begins around noon tomorrow.

Like many of my life’s stories, my first memories of knowing Charlie Walker revolve around baseball. Charlie coached for years at Shaffer Park before it was (officially) Shaffer Park. Charlie’s teams were always well coached.

Years later, when Charlie served on Hillsboro City Council and I reported on those monthly meetings, we got to know one another again.

I have often said that irony follows me around like a stubborn federal agent. It was particularly ironic to learn today that Charlie was retiring from Five Points Implement. Why? Glad you asked.

While working at the office this past weekend, I stumbled across a CMT (Country Music Television) music video of “The Dirty Dozen.”

No, this was not the famous movie by the same title with actors like Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Clint Walker, Ernest Borgnine, NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown and others. No, this “Dirty Dozen” included the Top 12 Outlaws of Country Music.

Among the “outlaws” were well-known country singers such as Hank Williams, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe and this one singer from Greenfield named Donald Eugene Lytle (May 31, 1938-Feb. 19, 2003).

Of course, we all know that Donnie Lytle became famous as Johnny Paycheck.

Somewhere around the 21-minute mark of the CMT Outlaws video – go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjNm5exF6mI – during the segment on Johnny Paycheck, there’s a few brief seconds in the Highland County Common Pleas Court.

And who might be escorting Johnny Paycheck through the courtroom? Yup. That would be deputy sheriff Charlie Walker.

Until Saturday morning, I had no idea. Charlie has never mentioned it to me.

If you have a chance, watch the video. You can also see George Jones near the end of the segment on Johnny Paycheck. But watch closely.

Here’s to you having a great day tomorrow, Charlie. Your service to the city and county will always be appreciated. (And we’ll just avoid publicizing that one little incident back in the late 1970s!)

Have a great day!

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• Note: Five Points Implement will host a retirement party for Charlie Walker beginning at noon Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press.