The Mayor of Five Forks "thrashes" 90, send him a card
to: Willard Jones, Rt. 1 Box 223, Big Bend, WV 26136
By Bob Weaver
Willard Jones "has spent most of his 90 years, workin', celebratin', pickin', singin' and a'helpin'," said long-time friend Al Hogan.
Willard, known to most Calhouner's as the Mayor of Five Forks, turns 90 on February 25th.
The mayor title was bestowed in the 1970s by visionary newspaper publisher Jim Sullivan in his Five Forks News.
A fellow music maker who gathered to honor Willard on his 86th birthday at Al's Barn said "They usually say someone 'turns' an age. In Willard's case he 'slaps' it. His life is about moving ahead."
During that party, Willard said "I wanted to say a few inspiring words, but I just got hooked on the cake."
A fourth-generation Calhoun County native, he was born in 1918, growing up on a Leading Creek farm where he began his lifelong love for horses.
In 1944, Willard joined the Army and was stationed in Germany during WWII as a hospital truck driver for the 121st Battalion. He was one of five Calhoun brothers serving in that great war at the time.
An unvarnished fiddle that he brought home for his brother was his only souvenir from his 18 months of military service. Soon, his interest in mountain music began to flourish.
Willard picked up the banjo when he was about 20 and claims that he "never did get too good at it." But he soon picked up on some old tunes and has honed his performing skills ever since.
Willard with friend Eugene Ritchie during daily trip to Grantsville
He has played at the Calhoun County Wood Festival for nearly 50 years, and performed at the WV Folk Festival and hundreds of reunions and get-togethers.
Unassuming, he generally just shows up and does his part, making sure he takes time to tell every listener a story.
Willard was a school bus driver for Calhoun County for 25 years, from 1955 to 1980, once driving two separate routes, both before and after school each day.
He expressed a special dedication to Esta, his late wife of 66 years. With the exception when he broke his hip, he fed her lunch at the nursing home nearly every day for the last 10 years. Esta passed away in 2007.
There is nothing like hearing his rendition of "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," or listening to his repertoire of railroad tunes, including the "Wreck of Ole Number 9."
Over the year's, Willard has been the unofficial Hur Herald Winter Weather Prognosticator.
In 2005 he said "It's gonna be about like usual," he proclaimed, "But then, I ain't been to weather school."
Suggesting that was too broad a forecast, he said
"Well, have you listened to the weather experts on TV?. They talk about the weather for ten minutes, and then you scratch your head and wonder what they said."
"Start scratchin'."
Willard has always maintained he would guarantee that February 15th would be colder than July 15th, recalling some of Calhoun's major weather events.
The Mayor loves horses, and in recent years a few horseback rides have been organized just for him.
After he got back on his feet from a broken hip, while climbing on his steed, he told the Herald "You can't keep an old codger like me down."
He did admit later in the day "I sat in that saddle a little too long. It locked me up."
Happy birthday to one of Calhoun's most famous cheer-givers.
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