By Karen Hall

Editor

It was Jackie King Day at Chapel Hill Elementary School last Friday. Teachers and students were wearing yellow badges that said, "Jackie King Day," and some, including Principal Dean Delk, were dressed as law enforcement officials.

"Today's a special day for Chapel Hill Elementary," Delk said. "Jackie King has been part of our family for over 30 years. I can't describe what he means to this community."

The two men have been friends since Delk moved to Chapel Hill in 1985.

"We're going to miss you Jackie; we love you," said kindergarten teacher Marsha Townsend, who presented the next part of the program.

'Thanks to Miss Kay (King) we have a timeline of Jackie King's life," she said.

Students on stage represented various phases of Jackie King's life, from his years at Marshall County High School as an outstanding basketball player and honor student, to his time in the National Guard, and his marriage in 1970 to Kay Walls of Chapel Hill.

The Kings' first two sons were born in 1972 and 1974. By the time "Little Jack" was born in 1981, Jackie King was a deputy with the Marshall County Sheriff's Department. In 1983, he started work at the Chapel Hill Police Department. For 20 years, Jackie King was the Chapel Hill Fire Chief as well as its Police Chief.

The after hours 911 calls were answered at their house, and Kay King and the boys even helped the Chief with some police work.

Jackie and Kay King have three grandchildren. now teenagers, or close to it.

"We want to spend time with our own boys and their families now," Kay King said. "We'll miss seeing everyone, but we'll be around."

Chapel Hill Administrator Mike Hatten was the next to speak.

"Jackie has been a servant to this community," Hatten said. "He taught me, and every employee, to take care of our citizens. That's stuff they don't teach you in college. If we can do half what he's done, we've done our job well. He's always going to be police chief in my heart. This is his favorite part of the job: coming up here to see these kids."

"What Andy Griffith was to Mayberry, you are to Chapel Hill," said Angela Lamb, presenting King with a gift certificate for "a little juice" to be redeemed any time the cafeteria is open.

"Not every school is blessed to have the police chief in their halls," said Becky Delk, recently retired after 40 years of teaching. "He's my buddy, my king, and always the king."

Books were presented to the CHES library in Jackie King's honor.

Pat Roberson who moved to Chapel Hill from Memphis 10 years ago said soon after he arrived he took his children fishing. His five-year-old wandered off and climbed a nearby silo, and Roberson called police for help.

"He climbed that thing like a cat and helped get my son off that silo," Roberson said. "Me and my family owe you!"

Jackie King thought he was getting the last word.

"The kids mean a lot to me," he said. "I love kids. If you need anything I'll help you. Thank you all. It's really meant a lot to me and my family. I'm going to miss seeing you all on a regular basis."

Then the real last speaker, Ashley Sweeney, stepped up.

"If you ask me for a word to describe Chief King," she said, "I would say 'strong' -- 'funny' -- 'fast' -- and then I would say 'hero.' He is a hero as a police officer, and as a veteran, and he is our hero because he keeps us safe here.