Video: Hamilton Farmer Is Remembered

[syndicaster id=’5368430′]

HAMILTON, Miss.(WCBI) — A well-known Monroe County farmer has died doing what he does best, helping fellow farmers in north Mississippi during harvest time. Now, a community of people are mourning the loss of what some are calling a true servant of the people.

From his farm in Hamilton, Don Self has been the voice for Mississippi peanut farmers since 2008, when that crop gained in popularity among local growers. Self wore many hats, working well with the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association, the Monroe County School Board and the National Peanut Board.

“He served that role faithfully and was always a big help to the Mississippi State University and the experiment station,” Charlie Stokes with MSU Extension Service said. “Different field trials and so forth.”

And now, many farmers and community people are saying an important spot is left void.

“He was one of the first growers in North Mississippi to have peanuts, and always done a good job with them. Was always looking for new and better ways to do things. He was always interested in, you know, raising his yields et cetera. Also to help out the other farmers in the community,” Stokes said.

“There wasn’t much that he attempted that he couldn’t accomplish. Whether it was playing the guitar, the piano, you know just anything that, carpentry, anything that Don set out to do pretty much he mastered it,” New Prospect Baptist Church Pastor Rev. John Maxey said.

“You know as far as in the choir as far as praise team, played you know just any time that I needed Don I was able to call on him. He really had a vision for the church,” Maxey said.

A longtime member of the Monroe County School Board and the Hamilton Sports Association, he organized and developed a summer league baseball and softball field and helped build a playground at Hamilton School.

“He was always, you know desiring to make people better, you know he always want to leave people better than when the way that he met them. Always an encourager,” Maxey said.

Family visitation will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at New Prospect Baptist Church in Hamilton. Funeral service starts at 1 p.m.

Categories: Local News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *