Jesup , Georgia 31545 W ednesday, September 25, 2013 Drop us a message online at: staff@thepres s-sentinel.com or visit our Web site at: www.thepres s-sentinel.c om 75¢ Claude McBride’s call to preach First-time- away-from- home college students are awash in free- dom to make choices—some good, some not so go od. Whe n I came to The University of Georgia, I brought a histo- ry of attending church since dia- per days, but getting out of my dorm bed on Sunday mornings slipped down on my list of priorities. Then one Sunday, my roommate grab bed my foo t and shook it. “Get up,” he said, “we’re going to church. There’s a great preacher, and we need to hea r him.” That’ s the day the Rev. Claude McBride came into my life at Mille dge A venue Baptis t Church. Sitt ing in metal fold ing chairs in a concrete-block room, I lis- tened and knew: “Here’s a special man.” And he was. Claude was for me—as he was for thousands more—a friend who radi- ated opt imism. Wit h an elas tic grin that stretched from ear to ear, he was alway s glad to see you. His anima- tion was genuine, and he could have been a celebrity clown or a dress-up Sant a Claus. He had the mirth to match his girth, and I loved to watch his belly- boun cing laughs . I see and hear him now—Claude placing his hands on his tummy, leaning back, curling his lips and saying, “Yes, yes … heh … heh … heh.” Claude was a celebrity, especially with his family . His wife, Gayle, and their children, Walt and Wynter, along with five grandchildren— Gracie, Susannah, Harrison, Claudia and Abiga yle—s hare d him with everyone in Claude’s enormous circle of influence. W alt proclaime d that his dad “knew only one sermon but a thous and ways to pr each it. It was a sermon of love.” When Claude exited the church at Milledge Avenue, following its phenomenal growth, the metal chairs and concrete-block sanctu- ary had long since been replaced by a soarin g edifice . His new congr e- gation became the legions of the Bulldo g Nation. Coac h Vince Dooley claimed Claude, as chaplain of the Georgia Bulldogs, could find a speck of light even in the darkest spots on the gridiron. When I was president of UGA’s Alu mni Ass oci ati on, Cla ude oft en answered the phone in that office. Through the receiver, I could feel the sunshine he was sending my way. He was a celebrity to those of us who wear the Red and Black. And when he pul led on tat tered overalls that had spent too many Saturdays in the wash pot, Claude became a celebrity as Happy Calhoun from Pos sum Gap. Seve ral times , I invited the gap-toothed hillbilly comic/philosopher to entertain and energize our company’s associates. Claude was a celebrity in my pro- fess ion’ s world, too . In 1955, The University of Georgia journalism graduate helped his hometown news- paper win the most coveted prize of all—the Pulitzer. Claude, along with three others, chronicled the corruption that had sullied the reputation of the Alabama town across the Chattahoochee River . Aft er I read Mar gar et Ann e Barne s’ boo k, The Tragedy and the Triumph of Phenix City, Alabama, I was reminded of Claude’s newspaper care er . That ’s when I asked him when he got the call into the min- istry. Here’s what he told me: “One night I walked out the back door of the Columbus Ledger and some one put a gun in my ba ck. The thug said, ‘You write one more story about Phenix City, and you’re dead.’” Looking at me with that Happy Calhoun grin, Claude put his hands on his stomach, leaned back and laughed before saying, “And that’s when I heard the Lord calling me to preach.” Not long ago, I asked Claude, “How’ s Happy? ” When he didn’ t smile and said, “Happy’s retired,” I knew my friend was not feeling well. His overflow memorial service was Sunda y at Milled ge A venue Baptist Church. The metal folding chairs were put into action, again. [email protected] My Opinion DINK NeSMITH Chairman Hundreds of times, the Rev. Claude McBri de transformed himsel f int o Happy Calh oun from Possu m Gap. As a gap- too thed hil lbi lly comic/ phil oso- pher, Happy entertained and energized audienc es for several decades. As a stud en t at UGA, Claude McBri de was a cheerleader and a member of the Red Coa t March ing Ban d. Her e, cir ca 195 2, Cla ude pose s wit h Nev a Jane La ngl ey of Maco n. She was th e only Georgian to have been crowned Miss Ameri ca.