Page 80 - Wayne County

were moved to Bainbridge. If Julian spent four years there he would be approaching sixty-fve years of age. He told the Bishop that if he stayed past that time, then he wanted to stay two more years and retire.

“The Bishop came to me one day and asked how I would like to go back to a church where I'd already served. I told him I'd be glad to go to any of them but I wouldn't like to go back in salary to Willacoochee. He said 'this is Liberty' and I said, 'Liberty, I just left there four years ago.’ He said, 'they're asking for you back. Their preacher is leaving whether you go or not.'”

So they went back to Liberty and stayed for two years. Dean was very sick during that time which contributed to his ultimate decision to retire. Dean's health improved after surgery. They retired to Jesup. He stayed out one year, though not entirely. He flled the pulpit on several occasions, in different

places, including the Bethel/Surrency circuit. The District Superintendent asked if he would take the Bethel Church and he returned to the pulpit on a regular basis.

“They have a lovely parsonage there and we would go stay on the week-ends.” Julian recalls. “We were there fve years and would have probably stayed on but the Superintendent and the Bishop called and said that Jesup First had opened up because their pastor had serious heart trouble. They wanted to know if I'd come back and serve them from January till June when conference. is held. That kind of put me on the spot. Taking it all into consideration I fnally said I would come back. Then, at the end of June I was out of a job again.” He stayed out about a year again when one day he was in the Sun Trust Bank and Ginger Proudfoot, President approached him about serving at Akin Memorial. All things worked together

and he has been there six years. They both agree the time has fown. “Being a pastor's wife is diffcult,” says Julian.

“I never had to buy a stick of furniture in ffty years. Now you see how my house is furnished,” says Dean, “I had no idea what I was doing.” Julian no longer plays golf nor does much fshing but continues to work in some organizations, such as the Mental Health Association. During his journey he has lead many revivals some as far away as Ft. Worth, Texas. He also has preached innumerable funerals and marriages; and, he is now marrying the children and grandchildren. Though they have raised four children of their own, Joy, Frederick, Julie and Lester, they stay busy now raising two of their grandchildren, ages nine and eleven. ....And he still preaches on Sunday.  WCM