Former Mayor Joe Barger partnered with author/actor Randall Franks to tell his story.
“I worked closely with Randall while I was mayor, I knew there was no one I trusted more to help me chronicle my 93 years and share Barbara’s and my story,” he said.
For 40 years, Joe Barger was entrusted to lead the small north Georgia town of Ringgold. He stepped down after 48 years as mayor and alderman in 2015. Franks, an author of nine books, was government reporter for Ringgold covering Barger and the city council from 2001-2009. He then joined the council serving alongside Barger and became his vice mayor in 2012.
“I was asked to serve the people of Ringgold in 1967, and once I started, I just kept serving,” Barger said. “My wife and children Curtis and Sandra, gave up so much, so I could share time with our neighbors through the years.”
Since retiring he has continued to be active as one of the two coordinators of the bi-annual veterans memorial flag display in Ringgold which will return for Veteran’s Day with over 2,000 flags honoring deceased veterans of Catoosa County.
He said he decided about a year ago, he wanted to write about his professional experiences as a metallurgical engineer to share some of his wisdom with future generations of welders.
“There were so many lessons that I learned as Combustion Engineering allowed me to develop new patents on so many applications to enhance what we did in nuclear energy development,” he said. “And there are many simple aspects of welding that I thought might help other young welders. I wanted to write some of that down.”
He said he and his wife Barbara enjoy their retirement gardening, reading, and keeping up with projects around the house the couple built in 1960. Barbara also enjoys her quilting group at their church Ringgold United Methodist, he said.
According to the North Carolina native, he was introduced to Ringgold by joining a college friend on a trip back home in the 1950s. He would later land a job with Combustion Engineering which began his passion for metallurgy, he said.
After serving in army intelligence during the Korean War, Barger returned to Ringgold to marry the love of his life and regain his position at Combustion, he said.
“My job took me around the world solving problems and sharing the success of what we were doing for Combustion in Chattanooga,” he said. “I couldn’t asked for a better company to work for or a better bunch of people to work beside helping light up the world.”
Barger said he didn’t expect that putting together his autobiography would take as much time.
“I started making notes and had those transcribed and then Randall and I started meeting daily doing interviews to expand upon what I had prepared,” he said. “We went through every phase of my life from childhood to the present, selecting stories, photos and working to share some memories that I think might interest others.”
Franks, who appeared as "Officer Randy Goode" on TV's "In the Heat of the Night," said this was his third opportunity in co-authoring autobiographies.
“This book offered some unique challenges for me. First, when I started, I knew nothing about metallurgy,” he said. “Secondly, while I knew a lot about the mayor’s last 15 years with the council, an intense process of reviewing the prior 33 years was required. I was sequestered at Ringgold City Hall for weeks reading nearly fifty years of minutes and documents.
“Working closely with Joe and Barbara has been one of the greatest experiences in my life,” he said. “Their story is in many ways, the story of small town America. I think his book will be a great resource for anyone who might like to look back at what Ringgold was and how it got to where it is today.”
Barger, a Georgia Municipal Hall of Fame member, said he was amazed as he peered into the past and selected what to highlight from a lifetime of helping grow the Appalachian town.
“There were many laughs which were brought to mind, and a few tears along the way too,” he said. “So many who played a part in Ringgold’s and the Combustion’s stories are mentioned in the book. Folks will find many wonderful photos that I collected through the years.
“I am thankful to everyone who took the time to help me in this effort, especially my wife Barbara and Randall,” he said.
“Testing the Metal of Life – The Joe Barger Story” by Joe Barger and Randall Franks is a 496-page book featuring over 550 photos and is available for $25 at www.RandallFranks.com/Mayor-Joe-Barger or by sending a check to Joe Barger, c/o Peach Picked Publishing, P.O. Box 42, Tunnel Hill, Ga. 30755.
The book is expected for release on Oct. 25. Barger and Franks will be signing books in Ringgold at Price Ringgold Drugs, 7566 Nashville Street on Thursday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and at Ringgold (Art and Frame) Gallery, 7825 Nashville Street on Thursday, Nov. 2 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.