BOLLINGER COMMISSIONER'S DEATH MAJOR LOSS, BOARD MEMBERS SAY

MARBLE HILL -- The death of longtime Bollinger County Commissioner Jerry Woodfin is a major loss, his fellow commissioners said Monday.

"He never had a bad thing to say about anybody," said Commissioner Rod Jetton. "He was the same out in public as he was in private. It is a huge loss for the county, his family and all the folks out here."

Presiding Commissioner Ken Trentham said, "Jerry was a great Christian man and he lived it."

Said Trentham: "He was a great example for me."

Trentham ordered flags flown at half-mast Monday.

Woodfin served on the commission for 20 years, including a stint as presiding commissioner.

He served through the financially hard times when the county government was in serious debt.

Today, the county is nearly out of debt, and Jetton expects the county to be debt-free next year when it finishes making payments on a road grader.

A Republican, Woodfin was re-elected as first district commissioner in 1996.

"He was just well liked," said Jetton.

Woodfin, who lived just south of Marble Hill, died at his home Sunday at the age of 67.

Despite battling bone cancer, Woodfin had continued to attend county commission meetings until the last three weeks when he no longer could make the trip to the courthouse.

"He was losing weight and just didn't feel good," said Jetton.

Jetton and Trentham visited Woodfin at his home every Monday for the past three weeks.

"We are just going to miss Jerry's wisdom and his experience," said Jetton. "He had been there so long."

Gov. Mel Carnahan will appoint someone to fill Woodfin's unexpired term, which runs through 2000.

Carnahan is expected to ask for a recommendation from the Bollinger County Democratic Central Committee in making the appointment.