In a world where so much emphasis is placed on outward beauty, there was something a little quirky about Bobby Wilkerson’s long-running campaign. But there were plenty of folks clamoring to be a member of Wilkerson’s group – The “Ugly” League.
Wilkerson died last week at the age of 89. His nephew, Danny Wilkerson, spoke with John C. Rose on TownTalk Wednesday and shared some memories of his Uncle Bobby.
As the self-proclaimed “Mr. Ugly,” Wilkerson went around town handing out membership cards, an act that won him attention and more than a little acclaim.
“He would always talk about the men being ugly,” Danny recalled, chuckling. “He had cards printed up…people would just laugh and joke about it, saying ‘yeah, I got my Ugly card.’”
The membership ranks swelled, but Danny said he didn’t think his uncle ever offended anyone by granting them membership into The Ugly League. “He’d say, ‘if I didn’t like you and love you, I wouldn’t give it to you,’” Danny said.
If you got right down to it, his Uncle Bobby was a “people person and he believed in making people happy,” Danny said.
Throughout his working life, Bobby interacted with many people in the community – he was a dispatcher before the 911 system was established and he also worked at the Henderson Fire Department. Danny said there was a time when he, his Uncle Bobby and Danny’s dad Ranger all worked together at the fire department.
In what Danny called semi-retirement, his Uncle Bobby continued his public service as a magistrate, which Danny said he enjoyed a great deal.
All those years, however, Bobby maintained what today would be known as a “side hustle” – he had a business maintaining fire extinguishers. He would travel around town in vehicle of choice – a red International Scout, laden with fire extinguishers and all the tools of the trade.
Danny remembers helping his uncle when he was still in elementary school. “He made me work hard. I value that time with him – he taught me a lot about life,” Danny recalled.
The last Scout Wilkerson had, Danny said, met its demise on the train tracks beside Falkner Coal Yard just off Garnett Street. Seems the Scout had stalled on the tracks, and a train hit it.
No matter how folks knew him – as a magistrate, owner of a fire extinguisher business, founder of the Ugly League, there’s little doubt that he was well-loved.
“He was a gift from God to us all,” his nephew said.
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