Aubrey Rozzell, former long-time Director of Mississippi State Parks,
at his home in Quitman, Mississippi.
Photo © 2010 by Terry Lynch
Aubrey Rozzell is blessed with the gift of gab and has a lifetime of wonderful, inspirational stores to tell. I met him at an organizational meeting for The Chickasawhay Arts Commission and subsequently had the pleasure of speaking with him about his book, Escape from the Back Forty, a work in progress. After the Arts commission meeting, Aubrey drew me aside and said that he wanted to talk about me helping him with his book. He then preceded to talk my ears off for over an hour standing on the street across from the Clarke County Court house, telling me his life story. The next day he invited me over to his home where I was gratefully given the opportunity to take some photographs under an oak tree and among roses growing in the garden of this strong and wise gentleman. He then spent some five hours showing me family photo albums and telling me stories from his life.
Mr. Rozzell is a retired gentleman, a share cropper's son who grew up in rural Mississippi and used his strengths, skills and ability to escape from a life of poverty and achieve remarkable success in his life. His family had been doing very well before the Great Depression came along and wiped them out, leaving them left with hardly anything and struggling to survive on the Back Forty planting cotton and living in a rustic shotgun cabin, one long, dark, gloomy, wooden structure with doors at both ends that when the doors were open one might shoot a shotgun from end to end.
After going to college on a football scholarship and doing a short stint in the NFL playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, he coached high school in Pascagoula. A chance meeting with the Governor of Mississippi led to a position as Director of the State Parks, heading it up and providing leadership to promote and develop the state parks. His efforts and leadership were also instrumental in cleaning up the Chickasawhay River, which, "had been destroyed by white man." Aubrey enjoys speaking about his life experiences to church groups and anyone who will lend an ear, especially students, or other "trapped" audiences.
There is a sparkle in Rozzell's eyes and sincerity in his voice, for the stories he tells are from the heart and soul of a man who realized at an early age that one is not limited by what others say they can't do, but is made by their dreams, their determination, their will to reach for the stars and succeed.
Everyone of Rozzell's tales brightened my heart and reminded me of how important it is to be aware of God's presence in all things, that He really does work in a mysterious way. When as a young lad he was told by his father, in an alcoholic rage, that he would never amount to anything playing ball, Rozzell resolved to prove his father wrong, excelling in sports through high school and getting a scholarship to play football at Delta State College in Cleveland, Mississippi. He was signed with the Chicago Bears in 1957, then traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, suffering an injury in an exhibition game at Pittsburg in 1958. After returning to the Chicago Bears he was sent to the Montreal Alouettes and suffered a back injury in the last game of the season which cut his professional football career short.
Then he did some coaching at Holmes Jr. Collage, Delta State and Pascagoula High School prior to serving with the Mississippi State Parks Service under four governors -- an unusual circumstance and acknowledgement of the value of his public service to the state and leadership abilities, as usually when a governor leaves office and a new one comes in, they fire everyone and hire all new people. But Rozzell was so good at what he did, every governor recognized they would be fools to fire him!
Today Rozzell enjoys the blessings of a good home life in Quitman, Mississippi, with his loving wife, Denece. Rozzell told me of his trip to Italy in 2000 to visit the grave site of his brother, Richard Rozzell, who was a paratrooper and died during WWII during the campaign to capture Sicily from the Nazis. Rozzell placed a plaque honoring his brother at the war memorial outside Rome, and while kneeling at his brother's grave site felt a presence also experienced by his wife, a feeling that his brother was with him and would be always.
Rozzell told me that he was inspired by his brother to make something out of his life and that finally making the trip to Italy to visit his brother's grave site settled his mind and was a relief. Listening to Rozzell's tale reminded me of similar feelings I experienced after my own dear brother, Stephen, died in a sudden accident. Thought the loss of dearly departed souls may be great and grievous leaving an emptiness, somehow remembering those we have loved and keeping them close to our heart all through the years makes them as our guardian angels, and works to lift us up and keep us strong, in the His light, and guides us, to carry us forward and far in life that we reach our dreams despite what seemingly impossible barriers or challenges are placed in our way.
After taking some photographs of Rozzell in his backyard, we sat at the kitchen table reviewing old photos from his childhood and life. Every photograph seemed to spark memories and Rozzell would tell me another story; I was left feeling as one who suddenly opens a box of treasure, seeing gold and jewels gleaming, realizing that here lies a great wealth, one upon which no monetary value can be put, for the value to children and young men and women may be tremendous, hoping he will get all those tales told as they would certainly make a good book.
Rozzell said he would like to get his book written, but had been putting off the task for years. So many stories, so many life experiences, so many tales to tell, so many gems of wisdom, it would, indeed, be a task worthy of undertaking. The wheel of fortune with spokes of good character, God in the center holding the wheel together, giving it strength. The son of a former athlete who he had coached who was injured and made a miraculous recovery after Rozzell had formed a circle with family members holding hands and praying for his recovery. The young man who he gave guidance, looking in a crystal ball, seeing contrasting futures, inspiring a change of life which put him on the right track after mishap. So many tales, all glittering and glistering gems of wisdom from that vast dragon's lair that is life lived with passion and God's love!
When I showed Rozzell one of the photographs I took, flexing his biceps, he looked at himself and asked, "Does that look like Jesus?" I replied, "Why don't you ask him?!" With those words I think I hit on what Rozzell's life has been all about, for certainly he has a bit of the son of God within himself, and each person he touches with his tales helps guide and heal. Rozzell is a remarkable gentleman who certainly escaped the Back Forty, that plot of land share croppers were given with two mules to work along the Mississippi River delta so many, many years ago. What do you think, can you see Jesus in Aubrey's biceps? The shadows do indeed create the image of a bearded face. Who is to say it is not Jesus? What one sees depends upon their faith, and truth be said, I can see Jesus too!
While preparing this article I did a Google search for "Aubrey Rozzell" and discovered that in 1985 he received the National Association of State Park Directors Bear Trap Award for a speech he gave to park developers at a convention in Canada. When I asked him about this he did not even know there was such a dubious distinction or why it might carry such a beastly name. However, after sitting at the kitchen table listening to Rozzell recite his tales of life's trials and tribulations, exuding a commanding presence and wisdom with each spouted morsel of lore, it occurred to me that the Bear Trap Award was so named for those whom exhibited such strength of character, prowess and charisma that they are able to capture the attention of an audience and, like the presence of a bear, keep them spell bound and trapped for the duration of their tale. Certainly Aubrey Rozzell as the first recipient of the Bear Trap Award set a precedent and good example for others to follow, as twenty-five years later there is now a long list of Bear Trap Award recipients. Oddly the bear in Rozzell never even knew he was Bear Trap Award winner, as like a bear he has gone on through life to live wild and free, to share his muse with anyone who will listen. Certainly I am honored to have been invited into his home and lend an ear while this bear is still upon the prowl, foraging along the Chickasawhay, pristine and clear, a gift to his children and grandchildren, and to all of us who take a stroll through the Piney Woods of Mississippi.
Aubrey Rozzell so thoroughly escaped from the Back Forty, freeing and elevating himself, to roam through life's wilderness and gleam from God's creation its splendors and wonders, that he was not even aware that, like that now fabled roll tide coach and giant, Bear Bryant, he too was a bear, not ever to be trapped, held back by circumstances or situations, but able to meet those challenges which life may present, and with a wheel of fortune, each spoke a strength of character, move forward and upward to achieve all he sought from this good life, that when he might meet his maker it will be with a smile, strong handshake, and a heart full of soulful stories to tell.
| There is a great and urgent need in America to record and document the oral histories, life stories and contributions of our parents and grandparents. When they leave this world and go to meet their makers their stories will be lost unless they are recorded. This represents a treasure greater than that of any other except life and love itself. Yet each day we lose part of our heritage as senior citizens grow older and expire. This represents a great national tragedy and demands that more work and funds be invested in preserving the life histories of each American. Yet relatively little is being done in this respect.
I urge everyone who has a parent or grandparent to help them record their life stories and tales. Get their life stories down on paper, audio or video tape. Do not let that experience of life and wisdom that is your heritage and the gift to all children be lost! One solution is to establish foundations to work to record oral histories, life stories and the valuable works of each and every senior citizen who has made a contribution to society. Unless we record and preserve our life stories they will be lost and the lessons we learned that could have helped our children and grand children will be gone forever. I urge everyone who has a parent or grandparent to take the time and make the effort to preserve their life stories for yourself, your children and your grandchildren. It is vital for the future of our nation and our culture that this be done that we all know that seed from which we have sprung! |
 I Love Chickasawhay River ~ SE Mississippi These adorable "I Love Chickasawhay" gifts and apparel were inspired after learning from Aubrey Rozzell how he worked to do what everyone told him was impossible and was instrumental in cleaning up the Chickasawhay River. Please help make people aware that this beautiful river exists and offers a wonderful experience for students, nature lovers, photographers and everyone who enjoys the great outdoors! |