"Immortals" by Randell Jones

 – Say my name and I will live forever.

I had in my life at the time five men who were in their 90s.

Randell Jones is an award-winning writer about the pioneer and Revolutionary War eras and North Carolina history. During 25 years, he has written 150+ history-based guest columns for the editorial pages of the Winston-Salem Journal. In 2017, he created the Personal Story Publishing Project and in 2019, the companion podcast, “6-minute Stories” to encourage other writers. He lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Visit RandellJones.com and BecomingAmerica250.com.

Author’s Talk

I shared a copy of Sooner or Later as a gift to a couple who had hosted me in their guest house when I was speaking to a large gathering of Daughters of the American Revolution in Upstate South Carolina recently. The husband, Digit Laughridge, was gracious enough to read my story first, although “Immortals” is last in the collection. He was moved to write to me and shared his thoughts expressing the words through his artistic skills as an amateur (he would say) calligrapher. I thought you would enjoy his words and their presentation. He has a lot of stories, as well, having played football and baseball for Wake Forest University “back in the day,” as those of a certain age are prone to say.  

Randell and Mary Jones with neighbor Horace Barrett on his 100th birthday, Dec. 7, 2023

I spent an hour Tuesday morning with my neighbor, Horace Barrett, who turned 100 on December 7, the occasion we were blessed to celebrate with him. But today, he is in the hospital and “doing poorly” as those of the Greatest Generation would allow. Horace has written a book about his war years, and I took my copy to the hospital with me. I have learned from some of the writers you will soon meet through their stories in the forthcoming Now or Never (and you know who you are), that being present and offering a connection to others who are dying (in transition) is a gift for the receiver and the giver. So, I read to Horace the passage he wrote 20 years ago about how he met and got a date with his bride of 73 years. Might we all, as writers, be treated to our words of love in our moment, that moment. The love we take is equal to the love we make. Remember Horace in your prayers, your meditations, your happy thoughts, if you will. It all counts for something. And, if you would, please, say his name.

I thank you.—Randell Jones

Walter Horace Barrett passed away about 6pm on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.
May he rest in peace.

Listen to “The Passing,” March 6, 2024, for more on this story.