View From a Hearse

John Roefaro, a New Jersey native, has spent 53 years in the funeral business - most of it in the five boroughs of New York City where things are done a little differently than we did it in Reynolds GA.  About 15 years of his tenure was spent at the most famous funeral home of them all - Frank E. Campbell, known as the funeral home of the stars. It did not take me long to realize one of John's gre...

This is the story of a small town boy moving to a big time college town, joining a fraternity and becoming a Georgia Dawg.  True stories are rampant in this episode that looks back some fifty years to a wonderful time.   Some of the stories will make you smile.. others might just make you laugh out loud.   If you are a graduate of the University of Georgia or any other institut...

I originally released this story on January 22, 2022 as Episode #5 entitled "This Angel."   Since we have many more listeners now than we had in January, many have not heard it.  If you have heard it, it is worth hearing again. Some things are worth repeating. You will find incredible life lessons here - along with a little humor to lighten the mood. The greatest among you will be your servant. Th...

Ray Tiencken, a prominent and successful businessman with an 8th grade education, grew up in very difficult circumstances and mad with the world.  He cried himself to sleep many nights as a child  asking the question, "Will my life always be like this?"  It could have been.  But Ray was determined to make another life. And he did. This is his story and it can become your story.  Although a self-ma...

My guest, Dan Buchanan, was assigned to the United States Mortuary in Saigon during the View Nam War.  He saw thousands of young kids lying on those tables as they prepared to send them home to their grief stricken families.  He saw sacrifice first hand.  His experience there also contributed to his lifelong career in funeral service - not only in serving families but also as an edu...

My friend,John Hasty, is my guest from his hotel room in Istanbul Turkey.  He contracted Covid-19 on a Greek cruise and found himself quarantined for days in a foreign country.  This is not a life or death story.  It is a story of inconvenience.  All is well that ends well.  But you willl learn that what happens between the start and the end of an inconvenient time is most...

Attorney Scott Ahrendt is my guest.  You will hear the devastating and painful story of overwhelming circumstances as he talks about the illness and subsequent death of his ten year old son, Landon, to pediatric cancer.  You will also find an enduring message of hope and real life lessons for anyone facing overwhelming circumstances in life. 

My cousin, Woody Hanson, from Ft. Myers Fl, has lived a large life.  He was friends with many major league stars as he worked for years as a kid in the spring training clubhouse of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  He received two degrees from the University of Florida and went on to be nationally known in the real estate world. He also became a well known Florida historian.  Did I mention h...

Roy Jones (1917-1996) was a master storyteller and was a very close friend of my daddy.  Although I am reading in this episode, these are his words of a time past.  His stories will introduce some to an unfamiliar time.  To others, this is a reminder of a wonderful past. You will find real humor intermingled throughout.  Yes you will laugh. But there are also a few strong life...

If you are one of the 1.4 billion people in the world who profess to be a Christian, this episode is for you.  Andy Cook, founder of ExperienceIsrealNow.com. is my guest.  Andy is a sports journalist turned pastor/scholar who has an incredible gift of taking the stories of the Bible and connecting them with the land of the Bible. He takes folks to Israel in person and virtually.  Yo...

Fred Cone was a Clemson University football Hall of Famer who later became a Green Bay Packer Hall of Famer.  There is a huge lesson in how he lived and how he died. My friend and his son, Andy Cone, joins me to tell his amazing story.

My guest is Joey Stuckey from Macon Ga.  He is a gifted guitarist, songwriter, singer, composer, radio and TV personality, producer, columnist and sound engineer.  He has rubbed shoulders and worked with many of the biggest names in the music business all over the world. Although he cannot see, he spends much of his time shedding light to cause others to see better. Get ready to be inspi...

Savvy businessman, undertaker, funny man and Cajun storyteller, Kenny Pellerin, is my guest.  Kenny calls himself a certified Coonass and he wears that title as a badge of honor.  We will take you to New Iberia LA, right in the heart of authentic cajun country. You will be entertained, educated and inspired. Get ready to discover the best kept secret in America.

Elise Kimberly Schumacher of southern Minnesota is my guest.  A beautiful and healthy young lady who was on the rise in her career but was suddenly faced with her own mortality.  It is a story of the dangers of being exposed to mold. Her story is also one of family, love, perspective, faith and grace.

Against advice - my guest, Ed Swearingen, took a leap of faith and leveraged the family farm to found the Silver Dollar Raceway.  It is a story of calculated risk, enduring pitfalls and seeing the dream eventually become a reality. His story is both entertaining and inspiring.

Bruce Goddard, with the assistance of his wife Kathy, testifies on the ramifications of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Many of you will relate to this testimony. If you can't relate or would rather not know the details, you should probably just move on to another episode.  If you can't relate but like to laugh, hang on to the end. 

My guest, Chuck Gallagher,  is an entrepreneur, successful businessman, author and in-demand speaker.   A rising star in the business world, Chuck made a bad decision that led to more bad decisions.  He ended up in deep despair and eventually in a federal penitentiary.   But his story did not end there.  This is a powerful story of how God used unsuspecting people to save his life.  He would disco...

My guest is former Taylor County Georgia Sheriff Nick Giles.  You will learn some things you never knew about being a sheriff of a small rural county.  His own story is worth a listen and the stories he tells will make you laugh and smile.  Some will make you say, "You've got to be kidding!" Nick isn't kidding.

A short but worthwhile message about Easter. 

My guest is Margie Wainwright Moore, daughter of William Wainwright.  She tells the story of her daddy who was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a burglary suspect in Reynolds Ga in 1973.   He is the only officer in the history of the county to be killed by a perpetrator in the line of duty.  I also interview Mac Goddard, who was one of the first people on the scene the night of the murde...

My guest is Peter Stoddard who has authored two books about Lewis Grizzard.   Peter is on a mission to educate those too young to remember on one of the most brilliant writers who ever lived.  Peter has also has been a master of stirring up great memories of those of us who were fortunate enough to read his columns as he wrote them, read his books when they were released and listen as he entertain...

Cristi Wray Horne is my guest.  She found herself in a huge "ditch" during the illness and subsequent death of Ollie, her husband and love of her life.  About 18 months after his death, she decided she had to pick up the pieces and move on with her life.  She would learn things about herself she never knew existed and believed she could do things she never even dreamed. She believed she could fly....

My guest is Jamie Whitley, another entrepreneur, who is working to breathe life into a small town by re-creating a business that failed during the Great Depression. 

A look at Goddard Factory Direct Furniture and the hilarious story of "Fred's" last recliner.  You just can't make this stuff up.

My guest is my friend and funeral professional, Karen Karnatz, from Redding California. Her mission is to educate her audience about the many options available to people who are not wanting a traditional funeral service or cremation and how that ties in to the grieving process. She also provides a safe place that honors all forms of grief.