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DEL.ICIO.USRemembering the man who was mayor
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When I heard Lawrenceville Mayor Bobby Sikes passed away on Saturday, I was disappointed that I wasn’t up to date on his vision for turning Lawrenceville into the perfect utopia.
All I knew about him was that he first became mayor of Lawrenceville the same year I first became a resident. In 2002 I loved Lawrenceville enough to sign stacks and stacks of lengthy mortgage documents. That same year he loved it enough to swear before everyone he’d make it a place Lawrenceville residents would always love.
A few months ago I had “Googled” his bio when I first started writing this blog but then filed it away without crafting one word about the mayor, his honor, leader of the city I called home. His story became just one more item on my Lawrenceville Blog To-Do list: attend more school board meetings, check on new road projects, email Mayor Sikes about his personal vision for Lawrenceville residents.
I looked at this bio again maybe a month ago. But I dreaded the idea of writing anything remotely political. Sorry folks, but you can thank the hoards of unsolicited candidate material overflowing my mailbox, television commercials on the verge of absolute ridiculousness, and unnerving calls at all hours from folks representing a host of issues that they wanted to talk to me personally about.
So today I wish I had sent that email months ago. That I had taken a closer look at the man behind the city of Lawrenceville, not just his job. Then maybe this blog would mean something to his children. Having lost my own father to cancer, I know hearing personal testimonies of the man as a person are much more important than regurgitating the sum total of his resume or career accomplishments.
Still, Bobby Sikes will be most remembered as mayor of this city. Comments in the media and in online guest books repeat how much he loved it here. Perhaps it’s even oddly fitting that his funeral services were on Election Day. An appropriate day for saying goodbye to the man who was elected mayor because he loved Lawrenceville.
Do you have memories of Mayor Sikes to share in today’s blog? What can you tell us about the kind of man he was?
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Jacqueline Bullard
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By James
November 7, 2006 9:30 PM | Link to this
Bobby was a great guy and a great mayor. I enjoyed the time I spent working with him and will never forget him.
By Theresa Bailey McClendon
November 9, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this
Thanks for your piece on Mr. Sikes…I am born and raised (51 years) in Lawrenceville…and trust me…he will remembered for a whole lot more than the four year stint as mayor…You are wise to move to L’ville, county seat!
What’s your novel about? I would love to read it! Check out my book! Google my name.