Let me introduce you to some relative newcomers to our fair town of Pell City. Wayne and Susan Bush fell in love with Pell City and Logan Martin Lake when they visited for their daughter’s engagement party a few years ago. Enchanted by our small town and the panoramic view of the lake, they began to look for the perfect home to buy so they could retire here.

Wayne and Susan are a real-life romance story. They were high-school sweethearts at West Blocton High School, where Wayne played football, and Susan was a majorette. They married straight out of high school, but delayed starting a family for ten years. They now have two grown daughters and five grandchildren.

Before retiring, Wayne worked for US Steel, Fairfield Works and then Vesuvius, a products supplier for the Fairfield plant. Susan worked at the District Attorney’s office on The Court Square in Bibb County.

They bought their home in December of 2014, a couple of years before retiring and stayed here on the weekends while they completely remodeled the house, inside and out. Then they turned their attention to the yard, removing almost everything and planting gardens worthy of a spread in “Southern Living” In May of 2016, they sold their Bibb County house and moved here to live full time.

When asked to tell us something about Wayne, Susan had a lot to say. She told me he is a radiant Christian and an ordained deacon, who studies his Bible every night. She went on to tell me about his love for golf, woodworking and fishing (especially fishing). What she didn’t tell me was what I’ve observed myself about this man.

Over the past few months, I’ve seen him bury the beloved pet of a broken-hearted neighbor and cut the grass throughout the summer for another temporarily disabled neighbor, who was unable to do it. He also cut a damaged (and dangerous) limb from my own yard and disposed of it. He routinely uses a weed eater on his neighbors’ yards when he does his own. This humble man with a servant’s heart is the neighbor everyone should have.

When Wayne’s hands aren’t busy in the service of others, you can bet they’re holding a fishing rod, regardless of the weather. Since they live next door, I already knew that. What I didn’t know is that he is the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame world record holder for landing a 23.6 lb. carp on a fly rod with 6 lb. tippet.

Susan was more reluctant to talk about herself and her many achievements. She sings in the choir at First Baptist Church and does their Sunday floral arrangements from the plants in her own yard. She’s a Master Gardener intern and belongs to the Pell City Garden Club and the Community Garden. She also volunteers at the Christian Love Pantry. Currently, Susan is in training to teach abuse prevention programs through The St. Clair Advocacy Center.

More than anything else, however, Susan sees herself as a gardener. She says she become an avid gardener in self defense when she worked in the District Attorney’s office. She said, “I needed to see something pretty at the end of a workday after I observed the very worst in people all day long.” What began as, in her own words, “flora-therapy” quickly became a passion, and it’s unlikely you’ll find a lovelier yard anywhere in Pell City.

It was my privilege to introduce you to our neighbors, Wayne and Susan Bush, and I know you’ll join me in saying, “Well met, Wayne and Susan. Welcome Home.”