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Dear Editor,
Growing up in Henry County as I did, I fondly remember Boots Welch patrolling, protecting and communicating with residents of the city of McDon-ough. Every time I saw him, whether he was in his patrol car, or that old black Chevy Impala, he was always smiling and always had a cheerful word to say. He always made it a point to ask about how my family was doing.
And yes, I was stopped a few times, like many teenagers, by “Officer Boots,” as he was known to many of us. It was always some simple infraction like squealing a tire, or not using a signal, and most times I got an “if you do this again, I’ll let Miss Martha or your Dad know and you can explain the ticket to them.” And my reply was always “yes sir, Officer Boots. I understand.” And I did, too!
Even though I have moved away from McDonough with my family, I still have fond memories of the “old” McDonough – where everyone knew everybody and you could do NOTHING without it being found out! Usually, your parents knew about it before you even got home and were waiting on you to tell about it to see how long it took. (I understand that now!)
I can’t think of a more fitting honor for “Officer Boots!” I always admired his friendship and I guess that friendship, and that of others like Chief Tom Nale, Officer Dot Reid, Officer Mac Nale and many others was the reason I became an officer myself for 25 years. McDonough has changed, but the memories remain!
RIP Officer Boots! We still remember you!
Chuck Kimbell,
Tennessee
