February 9, 2006 Issue

A local publication’s most recent issue had a cover story on the new “movers and shakers” in the Destin community. With apologies to the good folks mentioned in the article, the people who I value most in this community would never have made such a list.

The term “movers and shakers” implies the act of moving a community in a different direction and of shaking things up. Unfortunately, in Destin, that has left us with wall-to-wall condominiums along our beaches (and our bays are next), bumper-to-bumper traffic, and shoulder-to-shoulder strip centers.

The people I admire most are those who have made, and continue to make, Destin different from other places.

For the most part the old families of Destin haven’t moved or shaken anything here.
The Destins, Maltezos, Marlers, Bradens, Taylors, Woodwards, Shirahs, Melvins, Trammels, and others are responsible for the real character of Destin.

Buck Destin and Dewey, Big Jimmy and Little Jimmy Shirah, Johnny Destin, Reddin Brunson, and others pioneered net fishing here. They fished their entire lives and had their occupation legislated away from them.

Chubby Destin, Tommy Browning, Delbert Marler, William Frank Davis, Jack Cason, Kelly Windes, Dale Beebe, and many before them pioneered the charter fishing industry.

A kind soul named Wally Clark lived in a blockhouse in Crystal Beach. Wally would relay radio messages to the charter boats via CB radio.

William Frank ran the icehouse and stored the 300-pound blocks of ice that were used by charter boats for years. The icehouse also provided storage for Bruce Marler’s huge blue marlin that put Destin on the bill-fishing map.

Fred Jones ran East Pass Marina, and since he bought the Destin Marina from Mel Mason, Bill Ming has run a truly unique operation with a sense of humor and unusual style.

Davage Runnells ran the only service station with a monkey in a cage outside the store and a rough talking Mynah bird inside. He also had a ton of conch shells for the few tourists to take home.

The Museum of the Sea and Indian had alligators long before Fudpucker’s and they had Oscar the Octopus who was more frightening than the old lazy gators.

Coach Dalton Threadgill was the long time P.E. teacher at Destin Elementary. He was soft spoken but had a wry wit.

Primarily four principals have led Destin Elementary, over a period of 50 years. A.B. Parris, Eugene Walls, Jim Mueller, and Susan Larrimore are responsible for one the few public schools that is hands down better than any private alternative.

There was Joyce and Bud LaFountain and The Wharf; Miriam and Paul Seier and The Green Knight, Ralph and Rosa Gillies ran The Quarterdeck. There was Fred’s Place, and “Honey Boy” Marler’s Blue Room. Ross Marler’s Gateway. And Ferrell Shipp, who is still making biscuits at Silver Sands.

Many of the kids that learned to fish on the Crystal Beach Pier are still around. The late Lee Martin and the recently deceased Monty Montgomery fished for pompano at the short end of the pier. Tommy Norred and Jimmy Patzig fished for anything that would bite. Dale Owens and Terry Burnett have passed on, but not before little Terry Burnett appeared on To Tell The Truth with his giant shark caught from the pier. He appeared on national television with his telltale raccoon eyes—the result of summer days before sunscreen and a $4.95 pair of Cool Ray sunglasses.

The Gentry’s had one of the first Hardees anywhere. And a really goofy, goofy golf place next to it. There was the Tastee Freeze and there were cheeseburgers in the back of the Jitney Jungle. Odom’s was the best meat market anywhere and after the Odom’s got tired, Charles Criss, operated it for years. Next to Odom’s, Jimmy Vaughn ran a tackle and hardware store.

There was K.P. Nelson, one of the few recognizable black faces in town who took care of so many yards for so many years. K.P.’s twin brother Joe, worked at Jewel Melvin’s Seafood Market forever, and his wife, Lilly Mae, made the Rib Shack special.

The original competitive bill fishing tournaments held out of the Marlboro Marina were started by folks like John Richard Miller, J. D. Dearmon, Bert and Jean Madison, Bob McIlroy, Earl Albin, and D.Z. Kauble. Some of the most talented fishermen in the world learned their trade aboard private boats during those days.

There was the sight of Frank Helton who for many years took off the entire month of April to fish for cobia. And since few people took it as serious as he did, and even fewer fished to his standards, he simply fished by himself.

Buddy Gentry ran the Sailfisher II and the Marliner before he and his partner Steve Sauer began their boatbuilding career. They have been crafting the finest sport fishing boats in the world for more than 30 years now. More world records have been set on G & S Boats than on Bertrams, Hatteras, and Vikings combined. The only moving and shaking they’ve done outside of the boat-building world, was to move the operation out of Destin to Freeport. They also have a wonderful slogan: “We’re expensive, but slow.”

What made me think of the people who aren’t often recognized as being responsible for the quality of life in this rapidly changing world was an article in the Destin Log last week. The article served as a notice of the passing of time, and of the leaving of a special person.

Joy Dunlap, who was not originally from Destin, but who has lived here for 35 years is leaving town. Aside from the fact that Joy is incredibly healthy and active for a senior citizen, and he and his wife, Jackie have been successful enough to retire to a more sane place, there is no reason to be happy at his moving. Far from being a mover and shaker, Joy was simply a quiet doer. And he did it all for this community. He never turned down a request for help for anything.

There may be 1,000 people moving to Florida every day. And there may be 1,000 people moving to Destin every year. But there won’t be enough people moving to this community to replace a single man like Joy Dunlap.

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