One of Bladen’s earliest law enforcement officers will be laid to rest today. Broadus Hester was one of two or three deputies that covered the entire county for many years….He was a friend to many, including me.
Broadus, Clarence King and Ernest Priest were all the deputies on the staff.
Before his 40 years as a deputy, he worked a couple of years as a Bladenboro police officer in the late 40s and early 50s.
“Cuz” was one of his favorite expression and everyone apparently was his “cuz.”
He will be laid to rest this PM following a visitation and service at Galeed Baptist Church south of Bladenboro.
As I think back over the years I have fond memories of “cuz”, and he is my “cuz.” One not so fond memory was in the late 50s. Drag racing was illegal, but popular in most rural areas. Few had anything to race. I purchased a ’55 Chevrolet with a whip antenna, moon hubcaps and a V8 engine….and I enjoyed participating occasionally. A friend and I agreed on a friendly event, we lined up to race by one of the most popular hangouts in the Bladenboro area. We raced by, chances are my friend was leading as we past a group of friends, and I returned to the hangout, my friend saw Broadus, and went home and parked his car in an “oat” field. I did not see Broadus, until he pulled in with headlights on the driver side of my racing machine. I kept waiting for him to exit his vehicle and write me a ticket, keep in mind a new law forbid pre-arranged racing and the penalty was a loss of license, a fine and my vehicle could have been confiscated.
Broadus just set their, I did not look. Seemed like an hour, probably like 2 or 3 minutes. Many of my friends were on the curb watching, but finally he backed away, never said a word. It was the best lesson I ever learned. It was my last ‘drag race.’ We had many conversations over the years, but I sure as heck did not mention and neither did he. He taught me a very important lesson…one I never forgot.
One reason may have been he knew I owed more on the car than it was worth and he probably knew I had little money to pay the fine. What I think is, he knew I was not a bad person and that was my ‘one’ break. I never forgot.
Times were different then, there was a little ‘moonshine’ but no drugs, no one carried a weapon and a good law officer did not need to use all of their powers to make a point.
He was still a deputy in the mid 70s when I was Chairman of the Bladen County Board of Commissioners. I wonder if he had made an arrest would I have ever had that opportunity? It was our little secret.
I will attend the visitation and funeral of “cuz.” today. He was a friend to many.
The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket.
When you see the handwriting on the wall, you can bet you’re in a public restroom.
A baby sitter is a teenager acting like an adult while the adults are out acting like teenagers.
The world is full of willing people: some willing to work and some willing to let them.
robert g hester
rgh4612@gmail.com
910-876-2322
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