News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Clay County School System remembers a long-time Hermitage Springs custodian Junior Bean.
Bean was laid to rest Monday afternoon. Hermitage Springs Principal Donatta Birdwell said that Bean was a kind and sweet character at the school for the 21-years he worked there.
Pre-K teacher Scarlett Gentry said that he could always be found uplifting the spirits of all of the different people he would strike up conversations with while working.
“Mr. Bean had a love for our school, he took pride in his job, and he also made sure that he spoke to every student, faculty, and staff when he met them in the hallways,” Gentry said. “If he wasn’t joking with you, you felt like something was wrong.”
Birdwell said that Bean was also the kind of man who was often doing what he could to assist the teachers of the school. He quickly became a welcome face by all the staff that he worked beside as someone who was helpful but also joking in nature, Birdwell said.
She said that he was loved by the student body as well, so much so that one year for his 80th birthday the school threw him a surprise birthday party. Each of the students made him cards showing their appreciation for his hard work, and shared cake, Birdwell said.
Birdwell said that to give both the students and staff a chance to grieve, they decided it was best to close the school. She said this is so that if any students or faculty would like to attend Monday’s service for Bean they could be allowed to do so without fear of falling behind.
“Being part of the service would help the family see how much we truly loved Mr. Bean,” Gentry said. “I think that they loved him just, like I said, like a family member, so this is their chance to show his wife and son, and the rest of his family that we did love him, and we respected him.”
