CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - A well-known Clarksville businessman took his own life Thursday night at the city council meeting.
Bo Ward committed suicide in front of the mayor, city council, and dozens of other residents attending the meeting.
News of his death was a shock to many in the community.
At his barbershop Friday, a steady stream of people visited to pay their respects.
"Bo's Barbershop is as much a part of this community as Fort Campbell," said one visitor.
"When you became a customer of Bo's, you became a customer for life," said another visitor.
A barber for nearly 45 years, Ward welcomed soldiers and their families. In a 2005 interview with NewsChannel5 Ward discussed the impact deployments have on his business, which served many people in the military. Fort Campbell straddles the Tennessee and Kentucky state line. It is about 40 miles north of Nashville.
When the 101st Airborne Division initially went to Iraq! in 2004, "then-commanding Gen. David Petraeus sent Ward a postcard, thanking him for keeping his shop open during deployment and cutting the hair of soldiers' children," according to The Associated Press. Petraeus now serves as the top U.S. military commander in Iraq.
Some suspect financial troubles continued to weigh heavily on Ward's mind.
"But you can imagine if you invest your life in an occupation, you think you're gonna lose it and your home, everything you've worked for," said Clarksville Councilman Wayne Harrison.
Harrison said Ward was in tears at the last council meeting, afraid a zoning bill would squash revenue needed to keep his shop running.
In September, the council approved first reading of a zone change on his property, but denied second reading Thursday night.
"He said, ?that's alright, I just want to let you know what you are doing, you have killed me,'" said eyewitness Charles Cureton. "He pulle! d the gun out of his pocket, stuck it in his mouth and pulled ! the trig ger."
"It occurred so fast," Harrison said. "I guess, we were all in shock."
Friends focus no on the public tragedy, but on the Bo Ward they love: His laugh, his generosity and his attention to everyone in uniform or not.
"He always made you feel like you're the only person in the world," said a friend.
"He will be sorely missed, but we will all remember him and love him," said another friend.
A candlelight vigil was held in his memory Friday beginning at 7:30 p.m. Donations will be collected for Shriner's Children's Hospital, which Ward supported.
Ward is survived by his wife and four children.
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Discover how a lazy surf b! um cracked the $100K a month code using The Reverse Funnel System at www.ReverseFunnelExplained.com today. Also, check out The Reverse Funnel System review blog.
Source: http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=7176837
home based business idea, home based small business
No comments:
Post a Comment