Times changes. Tastes change. Focuses change. So it is with the Gilmer Country Club. The club, founded around 1946 as an economic development tool and with a limited number of members, described as “one of Upshur County’s best-kept secrets,” is now reaching out and expanding to better serve the community. “We want to utilize the facility not just as a service to members, but to the community as well,” said Steve Williams, the club’s president. He said it contributes “a very viable role” in economic development. “We have good schools, a good hospital, and good churches, but to attract business, you need a country club,” he said. “The original group (which founded the Country Club) thought that such an institution would be advantageous to attract business people, and for economic development,” said Williams. Over the years, he said, bylaws have only been changed a few times. Originally, membership was limited to 150, each represented by one share of stock. This could represent a family or individual, Williams said. A feature of the golf course then was putting greens with green sand. Rollers were used to smooth the path to a cup. “The 9-hole golf course has always been a part of the Country Club,” Williams said. The original clubhouse was a frame structure south of the present location. It became a site for socials, such as share dances. A swimming pool and tennis courts were added. Sometime in the 1950s, that building was replaced with one that was located where the present one is. In 2004, that one burned due to an early morning lightning strike, and the present clubhouse was constructed. “It has several upgrades,” Williams said, including the kitchen, recreation room, and men’s and women’s locker rooms. Membership grew, when about 250 associate members were allowed to join the 150 original (sustaining) members. The current building has a “nice-sized dining room, but not an event room” like the previous one did, Williams said. He said that the Gilmer Country Club has been affected by the poor U.S. economy over the past years. “Over the last several years, we’ve had declining membership and rising costs,” he said. “We are now taking a little different direction.” He said they plan to use the facility “to reach as many as we can in various ways.” High school golf and tennis teams use the facilities. He said the organization recently changed its bylaws. Now, anyone in Upshur County can access the golf course by paying the green fees. The bar and grill is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday), and is open until 8 p.m., and they hope to attract more visitors. “We have a new chef, Brandon Franks,” he said. Franks prepares plates that are not only a delight to the taste buds, but appeal to the eyes, too. Breakfast is available all day, and you can dine there in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays. A Sunday lunch buffet will include their special omelets. “Interest is picking up” in the restaurant, Williams said. “We offer, breakfast, lunch and dinner in a very pleasant atmosphere.” Chef Franks said that “everything is made fresh. Nothing is from a boiling bag.” Prices are very competititive for fine dining, Williams said. Williams said that catering by the club’s restaurant is available. They also would like to host service club meetings. He said that they hope that those who try the restaurant and/or the golf course will decide to become members of the club. “We have extremely good rates,” and they want to add more associate members, Williams said. He said associate members may join for $90 a month in dues. “We have a lot to offer,” he said. For more information, call the club at 903-734-4125, or call Williams at 903-841-2604.

IF WE’RE lucky and smart, we own up to those few truly very good friends who bless our lives with their presence and influence.
As I sit here in the pre-dawn hours (as is my writer’s wont and habit) of St. Patrick’s Day, my mind locks in and dwells on a couple that, besides Life Mate Julie and my parents, have steered my life onto more joyous and beneficial paths than anyone else.
This friend couple has blessed my life since 1960. Without their friendship and perennial opening of doors to opportunities, any measure of professional success and life pleasures that may have branded me would be impossible.
Rigby and Lucinda Owen are each brilliant in their own right.
MY BEST FRIEND Rigby is one of the smartest people I’ve ever known. He’s aggressive, opinionated and a great debater and his younger-days-fiery red hair symbolized that. Rigby’s business acumen and ability to be successful innovatively and financially is second to no one I’ve ever known.
Once, I said of him, to a group of people and in his presence: “He could start a fight in an empty room.” It hurt his feelings terribly although I meant it as a compliment. Rigby is so smart and well versed on a myriad of subjects that he is unbeatable in a debate. He has a finite understanding of the newspaper business, his first love. However, his late father and Rigby’s brother Steve (business brilliance runs in the family) both voted to accept an unbelievably wonderful offer for the Conroe Courier 40-plus years ago and Rigby acceded to their wishes.
He went into investments, principally commercial real estate, from the newspaper business and has predictably been extraordinarily successful.
AS FOR his capacity to “start a fight…”, he and I were once involved in a newspaper that he’d moved from its origin to a neighboring town in the same county because it was felt it couldn’t be financially successful in its startup home. We moved it to a town where there were two long-established newspapers. We didn’t know we weren’t supposed to succeed, so we did.
One newspaper foe folded in about a year, but the surviving competitor was a financially solid chain operation.
Rigby and I went to call on a big advertiser who we knew was best friends with our competitor paper’s publisher. This was in the 1960s, a time of a war of words between the U.S. and Communist-ruled Russia. Communists were known in those days as “Reds.” America’s zeal produced a slogan: “I’d rather be dead than red.”
As we walked into the business, its balding owner sarcastically barked: “Well, hello Red-on-the-Head.” Rigby knew it was intended as an insult but didn’t miss a beat and, in a derivation of the national slogan of the times, said: “I’d rather be Red-on-the-Head than Dead-on-the-Head.”  After all, we knew we were dead in the water (some pun intended) before we launched the sales attempt, but because of the biz owner’s relationship with the competitive publisher we felt we had to carry the battle to all fronts.
That was an attribute of Rigby’s all-out, above-board competitive nature. Business is a serious game he relishes. Success generally is high on his desire list and newspapers still rate A-1 with him.
But, the most serious passion for him is his Life Partner, Lucinda, who has a lifelong flawless complexion and magnificently expressive eyes.
WHILE THAT loving admiration is a mutual feeling, Lucinda has her own passions rooted in an avocation. Besides Rigby and family, her principal passion is horticulture in which she has a master gardener’s designation. You don’t want to debate plants and flowers (or much of anything else) with the bright and well-informed Lucinda, who has the greenest thumb.
Both love to travel and regular trips to places previously unexplored by them is a frequent item on their to-do list.
In addition to the home place on Lake Conroe, they spend time at a country place near Round Top and a summering spot near Santa Fe, N.M.
True friendship is a pearl. Rigby and Lucinda have always looked out for our best interests.
Thanks. We’ve got your back, too.  
Willis Webb is a retired community newspaper editor-publisher of more than 50 years experience. He can be reached by email at wwebb1937@att.net.