By Jordan Grimsley
Service, compassion, selflessness, and humility are just a few adjectives that describe Henry Brunson. However, these words do not seem sufficient to celebrate such a distinguished member of our community. On August 25th, 2024, Henry Brunson will celebrate 61 years as a volunteer firefighter for the Latta community. This is a remarkable feat that not many people have ever achieved.
In 1963, Henry joined the Fire Department after leaving the Air Force. He was stationed in Little Rock, Arkansas, when he received a call from the then-Chief, Wendell Ard, who asked him to come back home and be the produce manager at the Piggly Wiggly he owned. This was an intriguing request, as Henry’s brother and mother were both employed there at the time. Not only did Wendell own the Piggly Wiggly, but he was also the fire chief and sparked Henry’s love for firefighting.
Henry spoke with The Dillon Herald on Friday, August 23rd, 2024, and shared how he could remember getting a fire call and everyone except his mother would leave the store to assist those in need. Henry spoke highly of all the men he had the honor to work beside during his many years with the Fire Department. Henry gave a direct quote saying, “I love people, I love my community, and I love the Fire Department.” This is a lesson many can take to heart. To have a love for something beyond ourselves is something we could all learn from Henry Brunson.
Henry’s love for helping others doesn’t start and stop at the Fire Department. He was also a founding member of the Latta Rescue Squad in 1967. Henry saw a need in the community for a rescue squad to help people in need. The Rescue Squad is made up of volunteers who willingly come to help others in their time of need—selfless servants of the community who work all hours of the day and night just to provide help. Henry also spoke about how the current Fire Department building was funded by the volunteers’ fundraising efforts. He remembers selling Boston butt sandwiches at the Latta Springfest to raise money to build the building. Another thing he recalls is Doug Godwin, Raymond Kannady, Jeff Lee, and Chester Taylor getting into bidding wars over cakes his mother had made.
Henry Brunson is known for many great things and the works he has done throughout his life. Besides the Fire Department, he is perhaps most famous for his work with Cooks For Christ. This organization was started by Brunson 40 years ago and is still operational today. Cooks For Christ is a Christian organization that hosts cookouts for people in the community who need help, whether it be with medical bills, destroyed homes, illness, or fundraising for various causes. Henry mentioned that he still has roughly 150-200 volunteers who show up whenever there is a cooking to help those in need.
Mr. Brunson is also known for his long service as a Boy Scout leader. He was a Boy Scout leader for 19 years in the Latta community. Henry has received the Order of the Silver Crescent, presented by the state of South Carolina. The Order of the Silver Crescent is South Carolina’s most prestigious service award. It was established to recognize a remarkable single achievement or action in community service and volunteerism at the local level. This is truly an honor that few in our community have ever received.
Henry spoke effortlessly about how important his community is to him. He also spoke about how much he loves the people in it. However, there is one person Henry described as his “backbone”—his wife, Dottie. Henry expressed extreme gratitude and love for Dottie, and come December 1st, they will have been married 64 years. He spoke of Dottie as one of the strongest people he’s ever met, praising the kindness and grace she has shown him throughout his life. He made a point to mention that never once has Dottie resented everything he has done for others. He stated that she would support him through anything, and that’s why he’s been able to accomplish everything he has in life.
It’s not often that you find someone with the desire to help others in their community. It’s even rarer to find someone who has dedicated their life to doing so. Mr. Henry Brunson has done just that, in every sense. His lifetime dedication to the people of the community, his family, his friends, and his Savior are what legacies are made of. The Dillon Herald wishes Mr. Henry Brunson a happy 61 years as a firefighter in this community and many more years to come.