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Thank you, friends, for joining me here today. To say I appreciate it is a bit of an understatement. For sure.

On Saturday, August 24, my Incomparable first wife and I attended a special event. It was a sort of a mini reunion of the Washington High School Class of 1960.

They do this one-meal gathering on a yearly basis, and they had asked me to share some of my wit and wisdom with them. (My assessment of such skills may be a tiny bit subjective. You know what I mean?)

The program was quite organized step by step. One portion had each class member share a brief update about, well, how their life, including, but not limited to, such things as children and grandchildren, health status, the passing of spouses and others who were a part of their hearts, and almost without exception, their gratitude for having been able to make their life’s journey to this point.

Listening to these good people was truly heart-touching. Sally and I felt privileged to hear their stories.

The planning committee for the affair was Alma Coley, Iris Lilley, Linda Ferguson, Brenda Woolard, Adrian Waters, John Boyd, Tom Edwards, Gene Paul Edwards, and Dot Buck.

It made me reflect, once again, on my own high school years, as I was a member of the WHS Class of 1957.

The principal of my years in high school was Joseph Thomas Kornegay. He was fair and firm, and we were fortunate to have him at the helm. Very.

He was also Colonel Kornegay, so let me tell you about that part. It’s definitely worth doing so.

He was in the European Theater during World War II. He won the Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters for acts of exceptional heroism.

He was awarded the Purple Heart after he was wounded. Among other decorations were the American Defense Medal, the EAME Campaign Medal, the Armed Forces Reserves Medal, the Belgian Fourreguerre Med, and the Distinguished Service Award.

I doubt very few, probably none at all, who were students at WHS when he was principal, knew about his military exceptionalism.

He was a good man.

He was an American hero.

He was our principal.